The

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

n Legislature or Fono has two chambers, the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

and the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, which has a directly elected

head of government In the Executive (government), executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presid ...

, the

Governor of American Samoa This is a list of Governor (United States), governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government o ...

. The

has 21 members, all elected for a two-year term. Fourteen of them are from single-seat

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

, six are from dual-seat

, and one is elected by a public meeting on Swain Island. The

has 18 members, elected for a four-year term by and from the chiefs of the islands. The

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

and their deputy, the

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, are elected to a four-year term with a limit of two terms as governor. Although individuals can and do affiliate with political parties, elections are held on a

non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...

basis, and candidates run without party labels. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on a shared ticket. As a U.S. territory, American Samoa also votes to send a non-voting delegate to the

US House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

, from American Samoa's at-large congressional district. The official head of state is the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

. While American Samoans can vote in party primaries, they cannot vote in the general presidential election.

Latest elections

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, incumbent delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives

Amata Coleman Radewagen Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen ( ; born December 29, 1947), commonly called Aumua Amata ( ), is an American Samoan politician who is the current delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republi ...

won re-election to a fourth term with 83.3 percent of the votes. Also in

, Lieutenant Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga was elected governor, replacing the term-limited Lolo Matalasi Moliga. In

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

, a referendum seeking to amend the local constitution, and give the legislature the authority to override the governor's veto instead of the U.S. Secretary of Interior as happens now, was defeated.

Reform proposal

In 2001, Congressman

Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. ( ; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's third lieutenant governor, from 1985 to 1989 and non-voting delegate to the United State ...

announced the introduction federal legislation to protect the voting rights of active duty military members whose home of residence is American Samoa. There have also been proposals to grant American Samoa a vote in the United States Congress, but these would likely face similar constitutional questions as proposals to grant the

District of Columbia Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

full representation in Congress.

References

External links

Adam Carr's Election Archives

Report on Radio New Zealand
about the 2006 General Election *

{{US-election-stub

Latest elections

Reform proposal

See also

References

External links