Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The team of Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Pulu Ae Ae Jr topped the polls in the gubernatorial race Tuesday, winning 4284 votes (42.4 percent) of the 10,113 votes cast.

Incumbents Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and Lt Governor Laapui Talauega Eleasalo Ale received 3660 (36.2) votes, while Vaitautolu Talia Iaulualo and Maefau Dr Mary Taufetee received 2169 votes (21.4 percent), according to the results released after 1am by the Election Office.

In an election with more than two candidates, in order to be declared the winner, a team has to garner 50 percent of the votes plus 1. It means that there will be a run off election between the team of Pula and Pulu and Lemanu and Laapui in two weeks.

Pula and Pulu had convincing victories in Pago Pago winning 472 votes to 200 for Lemanu and Laapui and 30 for Vaitautolu and Taufetee. And also in Tuala-uta polling 1032 ballots to 682 for Lemanu and Laapui and 491 for Vaitautolu and Taufetee.

Another significant victory was in Leone where they won 356 votes compared to 235 for Lemanu and Laapui and 112 for Vaitautolu and Taufetee.

Lemanu and Laapui outpolled their opponents in many of the districts on the eastern side of the island, with the exception of Pago Pago. But with the biggest margins in Sua #2 winning 165 votes to 85 votes for Pula and Pulu and 45 for Vaitautolu and Taufetee. And also in Alataua with 241 votes vs 119 for Pula and Pulu and 53 for Vaitautolu and Taufetee.

There was dancing and singing at the Pulu guesthouse in Pago Pago as poll watchers for the Pula and Pulu camp called in results from the polling places.

Pulaalii Niko Pula said in a statement: "We asked the people of American Samoa to vote for Pula and Pulu if they shared our vision for Honest Governance leading to Peace and Prosperity, and we are deeply gratified to learn that more than 60% of the voters are 'united for change' and have placed their trust in Pula and Pulu. Faafetai, Faafetai, Faafetai tele."

"We look forward to sharing our vision over the next two weeks, and proving worthy of the public's trust for the next four years."

In the congressional race incumbent Aumua Amata has been re-elected winning 7,394 ballots or 74.8% of the 9,888 votes cast. Luisa Kuaea polled 1840 votes (18.6 percent), Fualaau Rosie Lancaster received 469 votes (4.7 percent), and Meleagi Suitonu Chapman received 185 votes (1.9).

Aumua topped the polls in all districts.

In the House of Representatives race, 17 incumbents have been re-elected while four have lost their seats.

Those who lost their seats are Titialii Kitara Vaiau, who was defeated by Vaasa Simanu in Saole, Vesiai Poyer Samuelu, who was defeated by Trude Gasetotolemasina Ledoux -Sunia in Maoputasi #5, Samuel Ioka Meleisea in Tualata uta, who will be replaced by Ben Vaomu Sauvao and Faauifono Vaitautolu, who will be replaced by Vala Porotesano Liusamoa for one of the two seats for Manu'a District #1.

The new House of Representatives will have two women: Vaasa Simanu and Trude Ledoux Sunia.

The team of Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Pulu Ae Ae Jr (P&P) and the team of incumbents Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga and Lt Governor Laapui Talauega E.V. Ale (L&L) are gearing up for the runoff election, scheduled to happen on Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024, exactly 14 days after the Nov. 5th election as required by law.

The American Samoa Annotated Code, Section 4.0104 — Election Procedures states that “if no candidates receive a majority of the votes cast in any election, on the fourteenth day thereafter a runoff election shall be held between the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor receiving the highest and second highest number of votes cast.”

A majority of 50+1 votes was not reached, with L&L receiving 3660 (36.2%) votes, P&P 4284 votes (42.4%), and the 3rd team that was in the first race Vaitautolu Talia Iaulualo and Maefau Dr Mary Taufetee receiving 2169 votes (21.4%). A total of 10,113 votes was cast during the Nov. 4th general election.

Incumbents Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga and Lt Governor Laapui Talauega E.V. Ale (L&L) with their wives.

People in the territory were all talking the day after the election about the “surprise” P&P win.

Challengers Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Pulu Ae Ae Jr (P&P team)

Samoa News spoke to a gubernatorial candidate a couple of weeks before the election who said he was optimistically positive about their ‘feet on the ground’ game, and that ultimately it was not the signs in the yards — after all everyone is related and you don’t tell your uncle’s wife’s nephew’s niece no when asked to put their sign up — that would decide the winner.

HISTORIC WIN FOR REPUBLICANS IN THE PACIFIC TERRITORIES

For the first time in history, all three of Congress' Pacific territory delegates will be held by a Republican, after Kimberlyn King-Hinds won the race for the Northern Mariana Islands' (CNMI) lone nonvoting delegate on Tuesday with 40 percent, or 4,931 votes, of the total ballots cast.

Gregorio Sablan, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, has served as the CNMI delegate since the seat's creation in 2009. He did not seek reelection this year. First elected in 2008, Sablan was reelected six times as an independent. He ran as a Democrat for the first time in 2022 and won.

Sablan endorsed King-Hinds' Democratic opponent Edwin Propst, while King-Hinds, a former Commonwealth Ports Authority chairwoman and lawyer from Tinian, was backed by the CNMI Republican Party.

Guam and American Samoa, the other two Pacific nonvoting delegates, also reelected GOP officeholders on Tuesday. Guam reelected James Moylan to a second term, while American Samoa reelected Amata Coleman Radewagen.

Propst conceded the race Tuesday morning. He received 33 percent of the vote, or 4,067 votes.

"Congratulations to Kim King Hinds, Delegate-elect. I wish you the very best," Propst said in a Facebook post. "To my amazing committee, I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and support. To our supporters, thank you for your votes, messages of support, donations, and kindness. To Daisy and Kiana, Devin, Kaden, and Logan, I love you more than anything in this world. Thank you for always being there for me."

King-Hinds thanked her supporters in a post on Instagram Tuesday afternoon.

Independent candidates John Oliver Gonzales, James Rayphand and Liana Hofschneider garnered 2,282, 665 and 280 votes, respectively. The results of the election were certified around 5:20 a.m. local time. CNMI is on Chamorro Standard Time, which is 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

As a nonvoting delegate, CNMI's representative, as well as Guam and American Samoa's, have limited voting rights in the U.S. House of Representatives. They can introduce legislation, participate in debates and serve on committees, but cannot vote on the final passage of bills.

The other three nonvoting delegates include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. D.C. and the Virgin Islands are expected to reelect Democratic Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton and Stacey Plaskett, respectively.

The other three nonvoting delegates include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. D.C. and the Virgin Islands are expected to reelect Democratic Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton and Stacey Plaskett, respectively.

(Source: Newsweek)