Organisation : American Samoa Government Election Office
Facility : Request for Absentee Ballot
Union Territory : American Samoa
Request for Absentee Ballot : http://www.americansamoaelectionoffice.org/military/military_info.htm
Home Page : http://www.americansamoaelectionoffice.org/default.htm
Request for Absentee Ballot :
** Request an absentee ballot in person or by writing to the Chief Election Officer or by utilizing the Federal Post Card Application.
** Your written or electronic request may be sent to P.O. Box 3970, Pago Pago, AS 96799; or FAXed to (684) 699-3574; or emailed to asgelect@samoatelco.com
** Requests for absentee ballots must be received no later than the given date from the Chief Election Officer.
Delivery of Absentee Ballots :
** Immediately upon receipt of a request for an absentee ballot within the time frames listed above, the Chief Election Officer shall examine the records to ascertain whether or not the applicant has registered and is qualified to vote.
** As soon as the official ballots are printed and available (after September 1st), the Chief Election Officer shall send (using the preferred method indicated) in a forwarding envelope via airmail an official ballot, instructions, and official ballot return envelopes.
Return of Absentee Ballots :
Absentee ballots must be returned via airmail and received by the Chief Election Officer no later than the given date from the Chief Election Officer.
About Us :
** The Election Office is a bipartisan agency responsible for ensuring uniformity, transparency, fairness, accuracy, and security in all elections in the territory of American Samoa.
** The agency promotes the proper administration of election laws, campaign finance disclosure compliance, and voter registration processes in American Samoa by promulgating rules, regulations, issuing instructions, and providing information to electoral boards and general registrars.
** In addition, the Election Office maintains a centralized database of territorial-wide voter registration and election related data.
** Our goals will be to maintain an up to date database for all registered voters; continued voter registration up to 30 days prior election day; purging voter files as required by election laws; train and retrain poll-workers and election officials; and conduct election programs on TV and Radio for the benefit of electors and those who are seeking offices.
** The timeline for all these goals is now and up to election time.
CANDIDATES INFO :
I. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE :
GOVERNOR & LT. GOVERNOR :
A. Must be either a United States Citizen or United States National;
B. Must be a bona fide resident of American Samoa for 5 years immediately preceding the election; and
C. Must be at least 35 years old at the time of assuming office.
DELEGATE TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES :
1. Must owe allegiance to the United States;
2. Must be an inhabitant of the Territory of American Samoa;
3. Must not be, on the date of election, a candidate for any other office; and
4. Must be at least 25 years old on the date of election.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (FONO) :
1. Must be either a United States Citizen or a United States National;
2. Must have lived in American Samoa for a total of at least 5 years;
3. Must have been a bona fide resident of the representative district from which he is elected for at least 1 year next preceding his election; and
4. Must be at least 25 years old on the date of election.
II. DISQUALIFICATION :
Any person convicted of a felony under the laws of American Samoa, the United States, or the laws of any state of the United States is not eligible for election to the above offices unless the convicted person has been pardoned and has had his civil rights restored.
III. NOMINATION ;
GOVERNOR & LT. GOVERNOR :
Candidates for the office of Governor and Lt. Governor shall be nominated jointly by filing a petition signed by at least 300 qualified voters without regard to representative district.
DELEGATE TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES :
Candidates for the office of Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives shall be nominated by filing a petition in the same manner as candidates for members of the House of Representatives, except that the nominating petition for each candidate for Delegate shall be signed by at least 300 qualified electors without regard to their representative district.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (FONO) :
Candidates for membership in the House of Representatives shall be nominated by filing a petition signed by at least 25 qualified electors of the election district from which the candidate seeks election.
IV. FILING DEADLINE :
All candidates must file nomination papers at the Election Office by no later than 4:30 p.m., on September 01st.
V. FILING FEES :
GOVERNOR & LT. GOVERNOR: $500.00
DELEGATE: $ 500.00
REPRESENTATIVE: $ 300.00
VI. WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDACY ;
** Candidates who have filed nomination papers may withdraw their candidacy :
** For any reason, provided that it is done not later than the day immediately following the deadline to file nomination papers.
** To withdraw, the candidate must submit a written notice to the Chief Election Officer expressing his desire to withdraw.
** For reasons of ill health, provided that it is done no later than 10 days prior to the election.
** To withdraw, the candidate must submit a written notice to the Chief Election Officer accompanied by a statement from a licensed physician certifying the illness claimed.