2012 American Samoan general election

General elections were held in American Samoa on November 6, 2012, to elect a new governor and lieutenant governor, twenty members of the American Samoa House of Representatives and the Delegate to United States House of Representatives.^[1] Incumbent governor Togiola Tulafono was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

2012 American Samoan general election

Gubernatorial election

← 2008 November 6, 2012 (first round) November 20, 2023 (second round) 2016 →

Nominee Lolo Matalasi Moliga Faoa Aitofele Sunia Running mate Lemanu Peleti Mauga Taufete'e John Faumuina, Jr. Popular vote 6,645 5,908 Percentage 52.94% 47.06%

Governor before election Togiola Tulafono Elected Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga

U.S. House delegate election

← 2010 November 6, 2012 2014 →

Candidate Eni Faleomavaega Amata Coleman Radewagen Party Democratic Constitution Popular vote 7,221 4,420 Percentage 55.22% 33.80%

Delegate before election Eni Faleomavaega Democratic Elected Delegate Eni Faleomavaega Democratic

Lolo Matalasi Moliga was elected governor, while Eni Faleomavaega was re-elected as the U.S. House delegate.

Gubernatorial election

The incumbent, Governor Togiola Tulafono, who had held office since 2003, was term-limited and could not seek re-election.^[2] Tulafono, who took office after the death of former governor Tauese Sunia, was elected to his first four-year term in 2004 and re-elected in the 2008 gubernatorial election.^[3]

All elections and candidates in American Samoa are nonpartisan, though Faoa Aitofele Sunia is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Slightly less than 17,000 American Samoans were eligible to vote in the 2012 election.^[4]

Candidates

Six candidates sought election as the next Governor of American Samoa in 2012.^[2] Governor Togiola Tulafono was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term.^[2]

• Salu Hunkin-Finau, educator and former president of the American Samoa Community College. Only female candidate for governor.^[5]
  • Running mate: Iuniasolua Savusa, former Command Sergeant Major in the United States Army^[6]
• Timothy Jones, businessman
  • Running mate: Tuika Tuika, government official and candidate for governor in 2008^[7]
• Afoa Moega Lutu, High Chief of Utulei, former attorney general, and candidate for governor in 2008
  • Running mate: Le'i Sonny Thompson, director of the Department of Administrative Services^[8]
• Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga, president of the Development Bank of American Samoa
  • Running mate: Lemanu Peleti Mauga, territorial Senator^[9]
• Faoa Aitofele Sunia, Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa since 2003, affiliated with the Democratic Party
  • Running mate: Taufete'e John Faumuina, Jr., former director of Economic Development^[10]
• Save Liuato Afa Tuitele, former judge of the High Court of American Samoa
  • Running mate: Tofoitaufa Sandra King-Young, founder and CEO of the Pacific Islands Center for Educational Development^[11]

Withdrawn candidates

• Utu Abe Malae, director of the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Utility Corporation and second placed candidate in 2008 gubernatorial election; announced candidacy on August 15, 2011, withdrew on October 10, 2011^[12][13]

Controversy

The gubernatorial ticket of Save Liuato Tuitele and Sandra King-Young filed a petition in September 2012 against four other campaigns questioning their eligibility to run in the election.^[14] Tuitele and Young argued that the other four candidates had not resigned from their government jobs before beginning their political campaigns, as required by law.^[14] The four candidates challenged by the Tuitele campaign were gubernatorial candidates Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga and Salu Hunkin-Finau, as well as lieutenant governor candidates Taufete'e Faumuina Jr. and Le'i Sonny Thompson.^[15]

The case was heard by the High Court of American Samoa,^[14] which turned down the petition allowing all candidates to remain in the election.^[16]

Endorsements

Outgoing governor Togiola Tulafono endorsed his lieutenant governor, Faoa Aitofele Sunia, for governor in the six-way election.^[17]

Referendum

Voters were asked "Should Article II, Sections 9 and 19 of the revised constitution of American Samoa be revised to give the Fono, rather than the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior, the power to override the Governors veto?"^[18]

The proposal would involve amending two parts of the constitution:

Section	Existing text	Proposed text
Chapter II article 9 section 3	Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each house at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall be represented to the governor for his approval. If he does not approve it within 15 days, he shall send it together with his comment thereon to the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary of the Interior approves it within 90 days after its receipt by him, it shall become a law; otherwise it shall not.	Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each House at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall become law 90 days after the adjournment of the session in which it was repassed.
Chapter II article 19	An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed while an act required to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior only after its veto by the governor and so approved shall take effect no sooner than 40 days after its return to the governor by the Secretary of the Interior. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act.	An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act.

Results

Governor

Candidate	Running mate	First round		Second round
		Votes	%	Votes	%
Lolo Matalasi Moliga	Lemanu Peleti Mauga	4,372	33.49	6,645	52.94
Faoa Aitofele Sunia	Taufete'e John Faumuina, Jr.	4,315	33.06	5,908	47.06
Afoa Moega Lutu	Le'i Sonny Thompson	2,521	19.31
Salu Hunkin-Finau	Iuniasolua Savusa	893	6.84
Save Liuato Tuitele	Tofoitaufa Sandra King-Young	763	5.85
Timothy Jones	Tuika Tuika	189	1.45
Total		13,053	100.00	12,553	100.00
Source: Samoa News[19]

U.S. House delegate

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Eni Faleomavaega	Democratic Party	7,221	55.22
	Amata Coleman Radewagen	Constitution Party	4,420	33.80
	Rosie F. Tago Lancaster	Independent	697	5.33
	Kereti Mata'utia Jr.	Democratic Party	438	3.35
	Fatumalala Leulua'iali'i A. Al-Sheri	Independent	300	2.29
Total			13,076	100.00
Source: Federal Election Commission

Referendum

Choice		Votes	%
For		5,852	44.92
Against		7,177	55.08
Total		13,029	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		17,774	–
Source: Direct Democracy

References

1. "American Samoa officials ready for next week's election". Radio New Zealand International. October 30, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
2. "6 candidates vie to be American Samoa's governor". Real Clear Politics. Associated Press. September 4, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
3. "2012 Gubernatorial Elections" (PDF). National Governors Association. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
4. "American Samoa officials ready for next week's election". Radio New Zealand International. October 30, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
5. Sagapolutele, Fili (February 26, 2012). "Female Educator Enters Race For Am. Samoa Governor". Samoa News. East-West Center. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
6. Montgomery, Nancy (September 2, 2012). "After 37 years in uniform, Army veteran turns eye to politics". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
7. Feagaimaalii-Luamanu, Joyetter (September 4, 2012). "Who's on the ballot?". Talanei. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
8. Feagaimaalii-Luamanu, Joyetter (February 22, 2012). "Afoa and Le'i officially enter 2012 gubernatorial race". Samoa News. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
9. "Former President of American Samoa Senate enters gubernatorial race". Radio New Zealand International. October 20, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
10. "American Samoa's Lt Governor vies top job in next year's election". Radio New Zealand International. November 22, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
11. "Save picks woman as American Samoa co-candidate". Radio New Zealand International. January 23, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
12. Deposa, Moneth (August 24, 2011). "CUC to lose its executive director". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
13. "American Samoa governor candidate withdraws from race". Radio New Zealand International. October 11, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
14. "Court in American Samoa to hear appeal against election officer's decision". Radio New Zealand International. September 16, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
15. "Four candidates in American Samoa's gubernatorial race challenged". Radio New Zealand International. January 23, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
16. Sagapolutele, Fili (September 21, 2012). "Team Save-Sandra hope in future elections law obeyed". Samoa News. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
17. Sagapolutele, Fili (November 1, 2012). "Governor endorses Faoa — Save & Sandra announce policy challenges; Togiola Endorses Team Faoa And Taufetee During Final Campaign Event". Samoa News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
18. 2012 Amendment to the Revised Constitution Archived November 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine American Samoa Government Election Office
19. "Results of the gubernatorial run-off are now official". Samoa News. November 28, 2012.