Off-island absentee ballot forms for tomorrow’s gubernatorial run-off election were sent electronically by the Election Office to 145 voters who had requested AB forms for the Nov. 5 election.
KHJ News had reported last week that the forms were mailed out, however, Deputy Commissioner Fiti Tavai said the forms were sent out via email.
And, as of this morning, 63 of those voters have returned their filled ballot forms by mail.
Meanwhile, 757 local absentee votes have been cast as of this morning.
This figure includes those who have traveled off-island and wont be back by tomorrow to vote, those with disabilities and poll workers, and Election Office staff who will be conducting tomorrow’s run off election.
Another group of voters that will be voting today is detainees at the Territorial Correctional Facility, whose cases are pending and have not been convicted.
Tavai says there are about 50 voters in this group.
The same polling places which were opened for the November 5 general election will be used tomorrow. There were 41 polling places on Tutuila, Aunuu and Manu’a for the general election, mostly church halls, with a few guest houses and government facilities.
Tavai said all 41 polling places will be used tomorrow.
In other news, an Election Office official overseeing voting in Manu’a left this morning with ballot boxes for the polling places on Tau island and Ofu.
Tavai says the ballot box for Aunuu Island will be transported there this afternoon.
The Election Office expects that the results for tomorrow’s run off will be known much sooner that on the night of the general election, as only the gubernatorial race results will be counted.
