AMERICAN SAMOA DELEGATE TO U.S. CONGRESS WINS RE-ELECTION

Congresswoman Aumua Amata along with supporters late Monday afternoon during her campaign wave at Avau in Nu’uuli. [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]

SAMOA NEWS

By Fili Sagapolutele

fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —Incumbent Congresswoman Aumua Amata is heading back to Washington D.C. for a third consecutive two-year term in office after being re-elected during yesterday’s mid-term election, beating out challengers Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman and Tuika Tuika.

The Republican congresswoman’s lead began with results from the polling stations in Manu’a dominating all polling stations. Amata has dominated the Manu’a polls in the past several elections. Manu’a polling stations completed early around 3 p.m.

And as the results started pouring in from polling stations on Tutuila, it became abundantly clear that Amata would return to Congress as she won all polling stations here too.

“Thank you very much for entrusting me with the responsibility of representing you in the U.S. Congress,” said Amata in her thank you message to the people of American Samoa. “I am humbled by your vote, more humbled than you know.”

“As your representative, I will continue to work enthusiastically with the other island Territories for equal treatment with the states in matters that affect us all, such as funding formulas, grants and projects that we need,” she said. (See today’s Samoa News edition for the Congresswoman’s Thank You message, as a paid advertisement.)

Of the total 8,638 ballots counted, Amata received 7,194 votes (83.3%); Suitonu-Chapman with 659 votes (7.6%) and Tuika got 785 votes (9.1%), according to the unofficial results released late last night by the Election Office.

In the 2016 election, Amata won 75.4% of the ballots counted. She was challenged by four candidates, including Suitonu-Chapman.

Candidates or voters have until 4:30 p.m, Nov. 13th to file a complaint contesting election results in the High Court. It’s also on Nov. 13th that the results are made official by the Election Office.

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