2020 American Samoan general election

See also: 2020 United States gubernatorial elections

2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election

November 3, 2020

Nominee Lemanu Peleti Mauga Gaoteote Palaie Tofau Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Alliance Democratic Running mate Eleasalo Ale Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga Popular vote 7,154 2,594 1,461 Percentage 60.31% 21.87% 12.32%

Results by voting district: Lemanu Peleti Mauga:      40–45%      45–50%      50–55%      55–60%      60–65%      65–70%      70–75% Gaoteote Palaie Tofau:      45–50% Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia:      60–65%

Governor before election Lolo Matalasi Moliga Democratic Elected Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga Democratic

General elections were held in American Samoa on 3 November 2020. Voters elected a governor and lieutenant governor, members of the House of Representatives and the American Samoan delegate to the United States Congress.[1] Incumbent Governor of American Samoa Lolo Matalasi Moliga was not eligible for reelection due to term limits. In American Samoa, gubernatorial candidates run on a non-partisan basis and as a slate together with their lieutenant governor candidate.

In the 2020 election, the previous lieutenant governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga was elected governor, and the former attorney general, Salo Ale, was elected lieutenant governor with more than 60 percent of the vote. Both were affiliated with the Democratic Party and beat two non-partisan tickets, while the candidate affiliated with the Republican Party, Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua, only placed fourth.

Candidates

Four political tickets qualified for the 2020 election.[1][2] Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, the gubernatorial election is held on a nonpartisan basis.[3]

• Gaoteote Palaie Tofau, President of the American Samoa Senate
  • Running mate: Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet, state senator[4]
• Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia, executive director of the American Samoa Government's Employee Retirement Fund
  • Running mate: Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga, director of the American Samoa Government's Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations[5]
• Lemanu Peleti Mauga, Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa, affiliated with the Democratic Party
  • Running mate: Salo Ale, former Attorney General of American Samoa[6]
• Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua, state senator and former Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives, affiliated with the Republican Party
  • Running mate: Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr., former state representative[7]

Not-qualified candidates

Fatumalala L. A. Al-Shehri, Independent candidate for American Samoa's at-large congressional district in 2012,[8] had announced plans to run with Leah A. Smith, missionary for the Assembly of God Church, as her running mate on the first all-woman ticket,[9][10] but they were not on the list of qualified candidates released by the American Samoa Election Office after the filing deadline.[2]

Campaign

On January 25, 2019, Senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga announced his candidacy.[11]

I’aulualo Fa’afetai Talia announced his candidacy at a campaign news media event at Sadie's by the Sea on July 28, 2019.[5]

Gaoteote Palaie Tofau announced his candidacy on February 9, 2020.[4]

Results

Governor and lieutenant governor

The governor of American Samoa is elected on a ticket with the lieutenant governor. Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, they are elected on a nonpartisan basis.

Candidate	Running mate	Votes	%
Lemanu Peleti Mauga	Eleasalo Ale	7,154	60.32
Gaoteote Palaie Tofau	Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet	2,594	21.87
Iʻaulualo Faʻafetai Talia	Tapaʻau Dr. Dan Mageo Aga	1,461	12.32
Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua	Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr.	652	5.50
Total		11,861	100.00
Source: [12]

Fono House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono (legislature). Although candidates do affiliate with national political parties, they are elected on a nonpartisan basis.

District	Candidate	Votes	%
1 – Manuʻa	Fetu Fetui Jr.	358	30.2
	Alumamalu Ale Seā Filoialiʻi	283	23.9
	Vesi Talalelei Fautanu Jr.	282	23.8
	Mapu S. Jamias	262	22.1
2 – Manuʻa	Tiaoalii Fauagiga Sai	225	58.7
	Sualevai Nofoaiga Sualevai	158	41.3
3 – Vaifanua	Lavea Fatulegaeʻe Palepoli Mauga	274	43.2
	Tupua Shawn Vaʻa	210	33.1
	Suaese "Pooch" Taʻase	150	23.6
4 – Saole	Titialiʻi Kitara Vaiau	312	65.8
	Vaʻasa Simanu EdD	162	34.2
5 – Sua #1	Luaitaua Gene Pan	310	62.6
	Fialupe Felila Fiaui Lutu	152	30.7
	Faʻalae Lauatuaʻa Koneseti Tunupopo	33	0.7
6 – Sua #2	Avagafono Tuavao Vaimaga Maiava	190	56.2
	Loia Gutu	148	43.8
7 – Maʻoputasi #1	Vailoata Eteuati Amituanaʻi	284	68.8
	Tuika Tuika	129	31.2
8 – Maʻoputasi #2	Vailiuama Steve Leasiolagi	197	41.7
	Ifopo Maugaoaliʻi Sipa Anoaʻi	195	41.3
	Agalelei Latu Fatuesi	53	11.2
	Wayne Malaetasi Ames	27	5.7
9 – Maʻoputasi #3	VesiaʻI Poyer S. Samuelu	503	67.2
	Veʻevalu Meauta Lauoi Mageo	246	32.8
10 – Maʻoputasi #4	Vaetasi Tuʻumolimoli S. Moliga	116	47.5
	Tapai Alailepule Benjamin Vaivao	112	45.9
	Tina FaisiotamoʻI Vivao Ioane	16	6.6
11 – Maʻoputasi #5	Faimealelei Anthony Fuʻe Allen	295	67.0
	Sauafea Sonny Sauafea	145	33.0
12 – Ituʻau	Manumaua Wayne C. Wilson	1,018	37.2
	Logoituau Mark Timoteo Atafua	714	26.1
	Andrew Earnest Thompson	522	19.1
	Sala Sataua Dr. Mataese Samuelu	456	16.6
13 – Fofo	Andra Samoa	587	64.6
	Puletumalo Dick S. Koko	321	35.4
14 – Lealataua	Savali Talavou Ale	294	58.6
	Ethan Lake	167	33.3
	Faleomavaega Nicholas King Jr.	26	5.2
	Andrew Mulivai Autele	15	3.0
15 – Tualauta	Larry Simou Sanitoa	1,746	39.4
	Samuel Ioka Ale Meleisea	1,222	27.6
	Alex M. Sene Jr.	555	12.5
	Vui Florence Vaili Saulo	547	12.4
	Bartley Papaliʻi Suʻa Lucia	247	5.6
	Saili Sione Samo	112	2.5
16 – Tualatai	Manavaalofa Tutuila Manase	357	49.4
	Timusā Tini C. Lam Yuen	291	40.2
	Rachael Manning Key	75	10.4
17 – Leasina	Ape Mike Asifoa	255	57.8
	Gafatasi Afalava	186	42.2
Source:[13]

Delegate

Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa

The Delegate to the United States Congress represents American Samoa's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

American Samoa Delegate to the U.S. Congress general election results, 2020[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	9,880	83.5%
	Democratic	Oreta Chrichton	1,704	14.4%
	Democratic	Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman	249	2.1%
Total votes			11,833	100.0%

References

1. "Will election law be enforced?". Talanei. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
2. Sagapolutele, Fili (September 2, 2020). "Chief Election Officer names qualified candidates for Nov election". Samoa News. Pago Pago, American Samoa. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
3. "Governor of American Samoa". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
4. "Update: Senators Gaoteote & Fai'ivae team up for 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. February 9, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
5. "Update — Iʻaulualo and Tapaʻau enter 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. July 28, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
6. "About Us".
7. "Gubernatorial team of Sen. Nua and Tapumanaia first to announce". www.samoanews.com. February 15, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
8. "American Samoa's Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
9. "First female team officially declares for the 2020 gubernatorial race". www.samoanews.com. July 30, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
10. "Fatumalala & Leah run for governor/Lt governor".
11. "Manu'a Senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga announces candidacy for governor". www.samoanews.com. January 25, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
12. "2020 GENERAL ELECTION UNOFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). AMERICAN SAMOA ELECTION OFFICE. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2021.
13. "2020 General Election Unofficial Results" (PDF). American Samoa Government Election Office. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
14. Sagapolutele, Fili (November 4, 2020). "Aumua Amata overwhelmingly wins a 4th consecutive 2-year term". Samoa News. Pago Pago, American Samoa. Retrieved November 4, 2020.