Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Some $200,000 in federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds, under the Election Security Program, was allocated by the American Samoa Election Office in preparation for the 2022 Midterm election held last November, with $60,000 of the budget for “Cyber and Physical Security”.

This is according to the ASG’s Election Office 2022 Program Narrative, a document made public this week by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which provided funding for the Election Security Program. (See www.eac.gov for details on this federal independent commission, which provides HAVA funds to all states and territories.)

“The purpose and use of the 2022 Election Security Program funds awarded to American Samoa will contribute to the existing Election Security Program… which the 2020 and 2018 HAVA Election Security currently funds,” the Election Office explained in the narrative.

The document shows that of the $1.4 million in the HAVA Security Program funds, the Election Office, allocated $200,000 for preparations of the 2022 election (which is Year-3 for the funding); and $600,000 each for 2020 Election and 2018 Election.

In the narrative document, the Election Office noted the community spread of COVID-19 at the time and the Election Office’s COVID Action Plan that was put in place for the 2020 General Election in the event there was community spread, which was researched and formulated with CARES Act funding from the EAC, and went into effect with minor adjustments in order to comply with the American Samoa Government’s territorial proclamation with regard to containing the spread of the virus.

Additionally, preparation for the 2022 Midterm Elections followed the COVID Action Plan and this funding was allocated in accordance with the aforementioned plan.

CYBER AND PHYSICAL SECURITY

According to the document, $60,000 was allocated to securing not only the Election Office compound but also used to secure polling station on election day. This covered hiring and training of an additional Security Officer and training for all personnel regarding the safety and security of not only our employees but all the voters of American Samoa.

VOTING PROCESSES

In preparation for the 2022 Midterm Election, the Election Office allocated $40,000 to voting processes to include any temporary personnel that would be hired to train and carry out both local and off- island absentee voting.

“The election office will also purchase necessary equipment in order to carry out duties to be performed during the voting process with regard to the safety and security of our employees and the community of American Samoa,” according to the narrative.

OTHER EXPENDITURES

According to the narrative document, the Election Office allocated:

•          $60,000 for “Other” budget category, which includes Intergovernmental Personnel Costs and Transportation.

The Election Office explained — among other things — that due to the method of voting in American Samoa (manual voting with paper ballots) securing and transport of ballot boxes to the Election headquarters requires police escort for security purposes and ensuring the ballot boxes are handled according to the proper chain of custody.

•          $30,000 for “Accessibility”, with the Election Office explaining that under the COVID Action plan, it seeks to be more present and accessible while in compliance with the COVID restrictions by the American Samoa Government. Additional personnel, safety materials, and more visibility across the territory with these programs will require additional funding thus the allocation of $30,000 to this category.

•          $15,000 for “Voting Education”, which is the Election Office’s voter outreach program.

“We are confident that the administering of the 2022 Midterm Election will be a success, acknowledging the financial support of the Election Assistance Commission,” according to the narrative, which is inserted into the American Samoa State Plan as an addition to the 2018 and 2020 HAVA Election Security Program.

No information was available at press time as to when the Election Office submitted its Action Plan to EAC, for the administering of the 2022 Midterm Election amidst the community spread of COVID-19.

But there were questions at the time on federal funding to help with local election preparations amid local COVID restrictions.

Samoa News notes that the community spread of the COVID-19 occurred in late February and many restrictions under the COVID emergency declarations weren’t lifted until after the Nov. 08 Midterm election.