Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More than 2,000 registered voters have been purged by the Election Office from the voter’s registration roll, says Chief Election Officer, Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei, who is urging college bound students to register to vote before traveling off island.

And as of June 29th, total registered voters on the voter-roll is 12,780, according to Election Office data.

The Election Office is allowed under local law to purge from the voter roll, registered voters who didn’t vote in two consecutive general elections. And it conducts a review of the voter roll, after each election, with the last one held November 2020.

Earlier this week Uiagalelei told Samoa News about a “few important issues” for the community and “voters for their awareness on matters pertaining” to the Election Office.

“More specifically our purged voters: a total of 2,590 voters who are purged from our voter’s registration list [as] they can be removed after two consecutive elections if not voting,” Uiagalelei said.

Purged voters were given letters about their voting status and information on how to restore their names in the voter registration list, he said.

According to Election Office data shared with Samoa News, the largest number of purged voters — a total of 654 — were from District 15- Tualauta; followed by 375 from District 12- Ituau; 224 voters from District 9- Maoputasi III; and 160 voters from District 16- Tualatai.

Data also shows that 149 voters were purged from District 13- Fofo; 117 voters from District 1- Manu’a; 111 voters from District 5- Sua 1; 109 from District 3- Vaifanua;  and 107 from District 7- Maoputasi 1.

Other voting districts had fewer than 100 voters purged including Swains with 2 voters purged, according to the Election Office data.

For American Samoa students heading off island, Uiagalelei urged them to register before going off island. “Our college-bound students leaving for their education off island are urged to register before travel,” Uiagalelei emphasized.

Additionally, all high school graduates 18-years old should also register and the Election Office is open from 8a.m. to 3p.m. Contact the Election Office at 699-3570 for more information.

The next election in American Samoa is November of 2022 at which time, electors will vote for the Delegate to the US House and the local House of Representatives.