Preliminary results of the Gagaifomauga No 3 special election held yesterday indicates former speaker and Cabinet Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has been returned to Parliament.
He received 691 votes while challenger Faaulusau Simi Laulua got 205 ballots.
It would be the first Parliamentary seat for the newly established FAST or Faatuatua I le Atua Ia Tasi Part which Laauli is leading,
The historic result comes less than 3 months since FAST was registered as a political party after Laauli resigned from Parliament in a controversial move after being censured by the House for misleading Parliament.
Of the four villages in the electorate, only one did not support the former Human Rights Protection Party speaker and minister of agriculture and now FAST leader.
A recount of the vote before the results are declared official will be held today.
