Voters call to reinstate the Urban Districts Seats

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 16 JUNE 2022: A call has gone out to the Commission of Inquiry to Review the Electoral Act & Election Process to reinstate Urban Districts Seats as a remedy to some of the major election issues noted in last year’s general election.

The call was made by Faatagata Taualofa and supported by others of the Vaimauga No 3 constituency during yesterday’s consultation at Faatoia village.

The call centres around permanent residents living on freehold properties within the Vaimauga and Faleata districts and have rendered service to the villages and churches for years and yet are not eligible to run as election candidates in those electoral constituencies.

Faatagata admitted that he does not accept a matai from another village to run as a candidate in his village and district because it is not fair.

He said Special Urban Districts must be created to cater for these voters especially when the current Electoral Act says that voters should vote in their place of residency.

He believes urban districts will also address the issue of candidates from traditional villages Nu’u Mavae and those from non-traditional villages – Le ni nu’u Mavae which he said is quite common in the Vaimauga and Faleata constituencies.

Urban Seats is not new to Samoa as they were used in the 2016 general election and were abolished in 2019 ahead of last the 2021 election.

These seats replaced what used to be the two Individual Voters seats for those who were not Samoan and their descendants. But were later opened to the fast growing urban areas in Vaimauga and Faleata districts where many Samoan families from around the country have taken up permanent residency.

The Commission of Inquiry to Review the Electoral Act & Election Process acknowledged the district’s contribution and consultation continues Thursday at Vailima.

Some of the constituents of Vaimauga 3 acknowledging the Chair and members of the Committee at the end of the consultation.