American Samoa Senate | |
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American Samoa Fono | |
Type | |
Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
Founded | October 26, 1948 |
Leadership | |
Structure | |
Seats | 18 |
Political groups |
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Length of term | 4 years |
Salary | $25,000/year |
Website | |
www |
The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.
The first name for the upper house of the legislature was Atoa o Aliʻi (“Assembly of Paramount Aliʻis”) when established in 1948. It was replaced with the current American Samoa Senate in 1953. [1]
American Samoa became a United States territory in 1900 and was initially administered by the Navy. From 1905, annual meetings were held with delegates sent from the local communities, as an advisory council to the naval governor. [2] [3]
In 1948, a bicameral legislature was established, still in advisory capacity. The upper house, named the House of Ali‘i, was composed of 12 members, being the seven high chiefs of Tutuila and the five high chiefs of Manu‘a. [2] [3] [4] [5] This legislature was reformed in 1952, after administration of American Samoa had been transferred to the Department of the Interior. Members of the House of Ali‘i became advisors to the governor, while a new upper house, named the Senate, was established. There were 15 senators, five from each of the three districts of American Samoa (Western, Eastern and Manu‘a). Senators were elected in open meetings, according to Samoan custom, and had to be holders of a matai title. [3] [6] [5]
In 1960, the first constitution of American Samoa was adopted. The Senate became composed of 15 members: one from each of the then 14 counties, elected for four-year terms, and an additional senator rotating from the then four counties of the Western District, elected for two-year terms. [3] [7] In 1967, the revised constitution modified the Senate to 18 members, all elected for four-year terms: two from the combined counties of Ta‘ū island; one from the combined counties of Ofu-Olosega; three from Ma‘oputasi county; two each from Sua, Itu‘au and Tualauta counties; and one from each of the six remaining counties. Under both constitutions, senators are elected according to Samoan custom by the county councils and must be holders of a matai title. [3] [8]
Fano Solinuu Shimasaki was the first woman to serve in the American Samoa Senate. [9]
As of 2024, the members of the American Samoa Senate are: [10]
The American Samoa Senate is the only legislature of its kind in the entire United States, both state and territorial, that is not directly elected by the voting population. Instead, the Senate's voting franchise is strictly limited to the various chiefs of the islands. [12]
Politics of American Samoa takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic dependency, whereby the governor is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. American Samoa is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Its constitution was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967. Executive power is discharged by the governor and the lieutenant governor. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The party system is based on the United States party system. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Politics of Samoa takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic state whereby the Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government. Existing alongside the country's Western-styled political system is the faʻamatai chiefly system of socio-political governance and organisation, central to understanding Samoa's political system.
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The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The state senate convenes, along with the state assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The American Samoan Legislature or Fono has two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, which has a directly elected head of government, the Governor of American Samoa.
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The Legislative Assembly, also known as the Parliament of Samoa, is the national legislature of Samoa, seated at Apia, where the country's central administration is situated. Samoan Parliament is composed of two parts: the O le Ao o le Malo and the Legislative Assembly.
The American Samoa Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most states and territorial legislatures of the United States, it is a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate. The legislature is located in Fagatogo along Pago Pago harbor.
The American Samoa House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono. The House consists of 21 members serving two-year terms, with 20 popularly elected representatives, and one delegate from Swains Island elected in a public meeting.
American Samoa is administratively divided into three districts and two unorganized atolls. The districts are subdivided into 15 counties, which are composed of 76 villages.
The government of American Samoa is defined under the Constitution of American Samoa.
Faʻamatai is the indigenous political ('chiefly') system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society. It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in both Samoas, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa. The term comprises the prefix faʻa and the word matai.
Nua Mailo Saoluaga is an American Samoan politician. He served as the Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 1997 until 2002, and as a Senator from 2013 to 2021.
Tuanaitau Fa'atamala Tuia was an American Samoan politician and the longest-serving member of the American Samoan territorial legislature, the Fono, in history. Tuia served a combined 49 years in the Fono, including thirty years in the American Samoa House of Representatives and seventeen years in the Senate.
Vailoatai is a village in southwestern Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa. It is located on the eastern end of Leone Bay. The village is known for its beautiful malae, nested along the island's rugged southern coast and lined by the fale tali mālō of its village chiefs.
The Fono of Faipule was a legislature in Western Samoa during the colonial era. It consisted of representatives (faipule) from each district.
Tuālā-tai County is one of the five counties that make up the Western District of American Samoa.
Legislative elections were held in American Samoa between 19 and 24 January 1953, the first under universal suffrage.