About 30 candidates have picked up nomination petitions to be on the ballot for the House of Representatives election in November.
Chief Election Officer, Uiagalelei Dr. Uiagalelei Lealofi says that’s the number of potential House candidates who’ve signed their names at the Election Office since last Thursday when the nominating petitions were released.
There are some fresh faces as well as House election veterans in the mix.
Uiagelelei says several women have taken out nominating petitions but he did not identify them.
Up to today only one House of Representatives candidate has returned a filled election form.
In the gubernatorial race, only the two teams that have publicly declared, Lolo and Lemanu and Faoa and Sanitoa have taken out nomination forms.
Only the declared candidates of the congressional race have also picked up their papers.
Uiagalelei says its been a slow process but perhaps in the next two or three weeks, the Election Office will be able to see a clear picture of the candidates running November 8.
September 1st is the deadline for those who wish to register to run for governor and lt governor, Congress and House of Representatives to submit their filled nomination forms with all the required signatures and information.
And as voters get ready to go to the polls, the Election Office will be hiring and training staff who will oversee the election.
Uiagalelei says they are looking to hire about 200 people.
