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Senate preparing bill to expand absentee balloting in American Samoa

Senate President Gaoteote Palaie Tofau
Source: RNZ Pacific

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Senate is preparing legislation to allow people stranded overseas by Covid-19 to vote in the November 3rd poll.

The bill states that with less then 3 months until the general election for governor and lieutenant governor, the House of Representatives and the delegate to the US Congress, flights to the territory remain suspended due to the pandemic.

It's thought more than 500 residents are waiting for flights to resume so they can return home.

The preamble of the bill states. "so that the border closure does not inadvertently disenfranchise those stranded off island, the government must prepare a process for them to vote by mail."