2020 American Samoan general election

2020 American Samoan general election

November 3, 2020

Gubernatorial election

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Nominee Lemanu Peleti Mauga Gaoteote Palaie Tofau Party Independent Nonpartisan Alliance Democratic Running mate Eleasalo Ale Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet Popular vote 7,154 2,594 Percentage 60.31% 21.87%   Nominee Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua Party Independent Independent Running mate Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr. Popular vote 1,461 652 Percentage 12.32% 5.50%

Results by voting district: Mauga:     40–45%     45–50%     50–55%     55–60%     60–65%     65–70%     70–75% Tofau:     45–50% Talia:     60–65%

Governor before election Lolo Matalasi Moliga Democratic Elected Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga Democratic

Delegate election

←  2018 2022  →

Candidate Amata Coleman Radewagen Oreta Crichton Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 9,880 1,704 Percentage 83.5% 14.4%

Results by voting district: Radewagen:     55–60%     75–80%     80–85%     85–90%

Delegate before election Amata Coleman Radewagen Republican Elected Delegate Amata Coleman Radewagen Republican

General elections were held in American Samoa on 3 November 2020. Voters elected a governor and lieutenant governor, members of the House of Representatives and the American Samoan delegate to the United States Congress. ^[1]

Incumbent Governor of American Samoa Lolo Matalasi Moliga was not eligible for reelection due to term limits. Instead, the previous lieutenant governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga was elected governor, and the former attorney general, Salo Ale, was elected lieutenant governor with more than 60 percent of the vote. Both were affiliated with the Democratic Party and beat two non-partisan tickets, while the candidate affiliated with the Republican Party, Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua, only placed fourth.

Incumbent delegate, Rep. Amata Coleman Radewagen, a Republican who had held the seat since 2015, was overwhelmingly re-elected to the United States House of Representatives for a fourth term. ^[2]

Background

In November 2014 Amata Coleman Radewagen defeated 10-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Eni Faleomavaega in a crowded race for the seat. ^[3] She won re-election to a third term in 2018.

Candidates

Governor

Gubernatorial candidates run on a non-partisan basis and as a slate together with their lieutenant governor candidate. Four political tickets qualified for the 2020 election. ^{[1] [4]} Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, the gubernatorial election is held on a nonpartisan basis. ^[5]

• Gaoteote Palaie Tofau, President of the American Samoa Senate
  • Running mate: Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet, state senator ^[6]
• Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia, executive director of the American Samoa Government's Employee Retirement Fund
  • Running mate: Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga, director of the American Samoa Government's Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations ^[7]
• Lemanu Peleti Mauga, Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa, affiliated with the Democratic Party
  • Running mate: Salo Ale, former Attorney General of American Samoa ^[8]
• Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua, state senator and former Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives, affiliated with the Republican Party
  • Running mate: Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr., former state representative ^[9]

Not-qualified candidates

Fatumalala L. A. Al-Shehri, Independent candidate for American Samoa's at-large congressional district in 2012, ^[10] had announced plans to run with Leah A. Smith, missionary for the Assembly of God Church, as her running mate on the first all-woman ticket, ^{[11] [12]} but they were not on the list of qualified candidates released by the American Samoa Election Office after the filing deadline. ^[4]

Delegate

The deadline for candidates to file with the Election Office was September 1, 2020. ^{[13] [14]} Three candidates filed to run for election to American Samoa's lone seat in the United States House of Representatives by the official deadline, as determined by Chief Election Officer, Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei. ^{[13] [14]} A fourth candidate, Lealofi Seau, a retired member of the United States military, announced his candidacy in July 2020, but did not qualify for the ballot by the deadline. ^{[13] [15]}

Democratic

• Oreta Tufuga Mapu Crichton, former Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the American Samoan Government (ASG) from 2015 to July 2020 ^{[13] [15] [16] [17]}
  • Crichton resigned as CPO on July 17, 2020, to seek election as Delegate. ^[17] She officially launched her campaign on September 12, 2020 ^[16]

• Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman, retired U.S. federal government employee ^[18]
  • Suitonu-Chapman launched her campaign in July 2020, marking her fourth campaign for Delegate to the U.S. House. She most recently ran for the office in 2018. ^[18] Suitonu-Chapman announced her candidacy in San Diego, California, as COVID-19 travel restrictions prevented her from returning to American Samoa at the time, and she remained stranded on the United States mainland for the duration of the election. ^{[18] [2]}

Republican

• Amata Coleman Radewagen, incumbent Delegate in the United States House of Representatives ^[13]
  • Announced her intention to seek re-election in June 2020 ^[15]

Campaign

On January 25, 2019, Senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga announced his candidacy. ^[19]

I’aulualo Fa’afetai Talia announced his candidacy at a campaign news media event at Sadie's by the Sea on July 28, 2019. ^[7]

Gaoteote Palaie Tofau announced his candidacy on February 9, 2020. ^[6]

Results

Governor and lieutenant governor

The governor of American Samoa is elected on a ticket with the lieutenant governor. Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, they are elected on a nonpartisan basis.

Candidate	Running mate	Votes	%
Lemanu Peleti Mauga	Eleasalo Ale	7,154	60.32
Gaoteote Palaie Tofau	Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet	2,594	21.87
Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia	Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga	1,461	12.32
Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua	Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr.	652	5.50
Total		11,861	100.00
Source: [20]

Fono House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono (legislature). Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, they are elected on a nonpartisan basis.

District	Candidate	Votes	%
1 – Manuʻa	Fetu Fetui Jr.	358	30.2
	Alumamalu Ale Seā Filoialiʻi	283	23.9
	Vesi Talalelei Fautanu Jr.	282	23.8
	Mapu S. Jamias	262	22.1
2 – Manuʻa	Tiaoalii Fauagiga Sai	225	58.7
	Sualevai Nofoaiga Sualevai	158	41.3
3 – Vaifanua	Lavea Fatulegaeʻe Palepoli Mauga	274	43.2
	Tupua Shawn Vaʻa	210	33.1
	Suaese "Pooch" Taʻase	150	23.6
4 – Saole	Titialiʻi Kitara Vaiau	312	65.8
	Vaʻasa Simanu EdD	162	34.2
5 – Sua #1	Luaitaua Gene Pan	310	62.6
	Fialupe Felila Fiaui Lutu	152	30.7
	Faʻalae Lauatuaʻa Koneseti Tunupopo	33	0.7
6 – Sua #2	Avagafono Tuavao Vaimaga Maiava	190	56.2
	Loia Gutu	148	43.8
7 – Maʻoputasi #1	Vailoata Eteuati Amituanaʻi	284	68.8
	Tuika Tuika	129	31.2
8 – Maʻoputasi #2	Vailiuama Steve Leasiolagi	197	41.7
	Ifopo Maugaoaliʻi Sipa Anoaʻi	195	41.3
	Agalelei Latu Fatuesi	53	11.2
	Wayne Malaetasi Ames	27	5.7
9 – Maʻoputasi #3	VesiaʻI Poyer S. Samuelu	503	67.2
	Veʻevalu Meauta Lauoi Mageo	246	32.8
10 – Maʻoputasi #4	Vaetasi Tuʻumolimoli S. Moliga	116	47.5
	Tapai Alailepule Benjamin Vaivao	112	45.9
	Tina FaisiotamoʻI Vivao Ioane	16	6.6
11 – Maʻoputasi #5	Faimealelei Anthony Fuʻe Allen	295	67.0
	Sauafea Sonny Sauafea	145	33.0
12 – Ituʻau	Manumaua Wayne C. Wilson	1,018	37.2
	Logoituau Mark Timoteo Atafua	714	26.1
	Andrew Earnest Thompson	522	19.1
	Sala Sataua Dr. Mataese Samuelu	456	16.6
13 – Fofo	Andra Samoa	587	64.6
	Puletumalo Dick S. Koko	321	35.4
14 – Lealataua	Savali Talavou Ale	294	58.6
	Ethan Lake	167	33.3
	Faleomavaega Nicholas King Jr.	26	5.2
	Andrew Mulivai Autele	15	3.0
15 – Tualauta	Larry Simou Sanitoa	1,746	39.4
	Samuel Ioka Ale Meleisea	1,222	27.6
	Alex M. Sene Jr.	555	12.5
	Vui Florence Vaili Saulo	547	12.4
	Bartley Papaliʻi Suʻa Lucia	247	5.6
	Saili Sione Samo	112	2.5
16 – Tualatai	Manavaalofa Tutuila Manase	357	49.4
	Timusā Tini C. Lam Yuen	291	40.2
	Rachael Manning Key	75	10.4
17 – Leasina	Ape Mike Asifoa	255	57.8
	Gafatasi Afalava	186	42.2
Source: [21]

Delegate

The Delegate to the United States Congress represents American Samoa's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Amata Coleman Radewagen	Republican Party	9,880	83.50
	Oreta Chrichton	Democratic Party	1,704	14.40
	Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman	Democratic Party	249	2.10
Total			11,833	100.00
Source: Samoa News [22]

See also

• 2020 United States gubernatorial elections

References

1. "Will election law be enforced?". Talanei. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
2. Sagapolutele, Fili (November 4, 2020). "Aumua Amata overwhelmingly wins a 4th consecutive 2-year term". Samoa News. Pago Pago, American Samoa. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
3. Sagapolutele, Fili (November 5, 2014). "Aumua Amata is our new non-voting Delegate to the US House" (PDF). Samoa News . Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
4. Sagapolutele, Fili (September 2, 2020). "Chief Election Officer names qualified candidates for Nov election". Samoa News. Pago Pago, American Samoa. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
5. "Governor of American Samoa". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
6. "Update: Senators Gaoteote & Fai'ivae team up for 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. February 9, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
7. "Update — Iʻaulualo and Tapaʻau enter 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. July 28, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
8. "About Us".
9. "Gubernatorial team of Sen. Nua and Tapumanaia first to announce". www.samoanews.com. February 15, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
10. "American Samoa's Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
11. "First female team officially declares for the 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. July 30, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
12. "Fatumalala & Leah run for governor/Lt governor".
13. Sagapolutele, Fili (September 2, 2020). "Chief Election Officer names qualified candidates for Nov election". Samoa News . Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
14. "No Changes in List of Election Candidates". Talanei.com. September 9, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
15. "Two more candidates now vying for American Samoa Delegate's seat: Oreta Tufuga Mapu Crichton and Lealofi Seau". Samoa News . July 13, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
16. "Dr. Oreta Crichton Kicks Off Campaign for Congress". Talanei.com. September 14, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
17. "Chief Procurement Officer resigns after declaring for office". Samoa News . July 20, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
18. "Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman makes 4th bid for American Samoa Delegate's seat". Samoa News . July 16, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
19. "Manu'a Senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga announces candidacy for governor". www.samoanews.com. January 25, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
20. "2020 GENERAL ELECTION UNOFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). AMERICAN SAMOA ELECTION OFFICE. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2021.
21. "2020 General Election Unofficial Results" (PDF). American Samoa Government Election Office. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
22. Sagapolutele, Fili (November 4, 2020). "Aumua Amata overwhelmingly wins a 4th consecutive 2-year term". Samoa News. Pago Pago, American Samoa. Retrieved November 4, 2020.