Election procedures for the election of the Swains Island Delegate to the House of Representatives are being proposed in a bill that Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean has introduced.
The bill establishes a new chapter in election law with the purpose of implementing Amendment 6 to the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, ratified in 2022, which grants the Swains Island Delegate full voting rights in the House of Representatives.
The bill defines permanent residents of Swains island eligible to vote for the Swains Island Delegate as a US national or US citizen and is a lineal descendant of a person who resided on Swains Island prior to 1953 and has registered as a Swains Island voter.
It sets out that candidates for the Swains Island seat are to be nominated by a petition in a form established by the Chief Election Officer, signed by ten qualified Swains Island voters.
Nomination petitions must be filed with the Chief Election Officer no later than 4:30 pm on September 1 or 4:30 pm on the 60th day before a special election.
The bill also sets out procdures for challenges and appeals. Any qualified Swains Island voter may challenge a candidate’s eligibility by filing a written challenge with the Chief Election Officer no later than 4:30 pm on the third business day after the list of eligible candidates is issued.
The challenger or the challenged candidate may appeal the Chief Election Officer’s decision to the Appellate Division of the High Court no later than 4:30 pm on the fifth day after the decision. The court shall hear the matter promptly and its decision is final.
A Swains Island voter may transfer voter registration to another district. Upon completion of a valid transfer the voter shall be removed from the Swains Island voter roll.
In other news from the Fono, after the session on Friday,January 30 the House and Senate are taking a month long recess.
During the break the House and Senate Retirement Committees will be attending the meeting of the Retirement Fund Board of Trustees and investment advisors to be held in San Diego.
