The 2010 Safata by-election was a parliamentary by‑election held in the Safata constituency of Samoa on 14 May 2010. The vote was triggered after the incumbent member of the Legislative Assembly, Palusalue Fa’apo II, was disqualified for joining the opposition Tautua Samoa Party. The by‑election was contested by three candidates and resulted in the re‑election of Palusalue Fa’apo II.
Background
Palusalue Fa’apo II had been a member of the Legislative Assembly representing Safata. In March 2010 he joined the newly formed Tautua Samoa Party, which led to his disqualification from the Assembly under Samoan electoral law, thereby creating a vacancy that required a by‑election.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party |
|---|---|
| Palusalue Fa’apo II | Tautua Samoa Party |
| Auseugaefa Tuvaifale Vaasatia Poloma Komiti | Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) |
| Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala | Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) |
Results
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Palusalue Fa’apo II (TSP) | 979 | 35.8 % |
| Auseugaefa Tuvaifale Vaasatia Poloma Komiti (HRPP) | 921 | 33.7 % |
| Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala (HRPP) | 836 | 30.6 % |
| Turnout | 2 736 | — |
Palusalue Fa’apo II secured a plurality of the vote and retained the Safata seat.
Aftermath
The result reinforced the presence of the Tautua Samoa Party in the Legislative Assembly and demonstrated the competitiveness of the Safata constituency, where two major parties (Tautua Samoa and HRPP) split the electorate relatively evenly.
References
- Radio New Zealand International, “Samoa by‑election date set for May 14th”, 22 April 2010.
- Alan Ah Mu, “Va’ai springs election shock”, Samoa Observer, 18 March 2010.
- Marieta Heidi Ilalio, “Palu stays, Ale reigns”, Samoa Observer, 15 May 2010.
- Alan Ah Mu, “PM’s former top man enter by‑elections”, Samoa Observer, 30 March 2010.
- Marieta Heidi Ilalio, “Candidates for by‑election confirmed”, Samoa Observer, 2 May 2010.
