Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “Election 2020 results are now official,” declared Chief Election Officer Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei, in a public letter released after 4:30 p.m on Tuesday, Nov. 10^th, thus certifying the Nov. 3rd general election outcome.

Uiagalelei also congratulated all elected positions— for the governor and lieutenant governor, the team of Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga and former attorney general Talauega Eleasalo Va’alele Ale; Delegate to the US Congress incumbent Aumua Amata and the 20-elected seats for the local House of Representatives.

“Thank you American Samoa both here and abroad, for a very peaceful, fair and friendly 2020 general election,” he said. “Best wishes to all our Leaders-elect.”

Samoa News points out that under local law, there is a seven-day waiting period before election results are certified. The seven-day period ended at 4:30p.m on Tuesday, Nov. 10th and no complaints were filed for the outcome of the election, except for a “Challenge for Recount” filed with the Election Office for Manu’a District #1 - local House race. (See separate story on local House race.)

GUBERNATORIAL RACE

In the gubernatorial race, there are no changes from the results released following the Nov. 3rd general election, and this means there is no-run off election because the Lemanu and Talauega team received more than the 50%-plus one vote to win outright on Election Day.

According to the “official” results, of the total 11,861 ballots counted, Lemanu and Talauega received 7,154 votes (60.3%); Gaoteote Palaie Tofau & Fai’ivae Iuli Alexander Godinet with 2,594 votes (21.9%); I’aulualo Fa’afetai Talia & Tapaau Daniel Mageo Aga received 1,461 votes (12.3%); and Nua Sao & Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr. with 652 ballots (5.5%).

Governor-elect Lemanu and lieutenant governor-elect Talauega will be sworn in to office before 12noon on Jan. 3, 2021 for their first four-year term. The team is expected to announce in the coming weeks an inauguration program.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the last time there was no run-off was in the 2016 general election with the Lolo and Lemanu incumbent team winning their second term in office.

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga is prohibited under local law and the constitution from seeking a third four-year term in office.

CONGRESSIONAL RACE

For the Congressional race, there is a slight change in total ballots cast for the candidates compared to the unofficial results released Nov. 3rd, although the incumbent congresswoman, is still re-elected for a 4th consecutive two-year term.

The “official” results show total ballots counted at 11,749 of which Amata received 9,790 votes (83.3%); Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman with 250 votes (2.1%); and Oreta Tufaga-Mapu Crichton received 1,709 votes (14.5%).

The “unofficial” results from election day, according to Election Office data at the time, showed that of the total 11,833 ballots counted, Amata received 9,880 votes (83.5%); Suitonu-Chapman with 249 votes (2.1%) and Crichton got 1,704 votes (14.4%).

With Hawaiian Airlines flights suspended through Dec. 30th, it’s unclear at this point if the Congresswoman will be able to leave the territory heading to Washington D.C. for the swearing-in in January of the new US Congress.

She has been participating in various congressional matters via VTC and other forms of communication.

Click on attachment to download “official” results from the Election Office for the gubernatorial and congressional races.