General elections were held in American Samoa on 6 November 2012,[1] alongside a referendum on giving the Fono veto power over the governor. Voters chose a new governor and lieutenant governor, twenty members for the American Samoa House of Representatives, and the Delegate to United States House of Representatives.[2] Incumbent governor Togiola Tulafono was term-limited and could not seek re-election.
Voters elected twenty members to the American Samoa House of Representatives.[2]
Voters will also choose American Samoa's delegate to the United States House of Representatives, who holds office for a two-year term. Incumbent Eni Faleomavaega won re-election to a 113th, two-year term.
Voters were asked "Should Article II, Sections 9 and 19 of the revised constitution of American Samoa be revised to give the Fono, rather than the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior, the power to override the Governors veto?"[12]
The proposal would involve amending two parts of the constitution:
Section | Existing text | Proposed text |
---|---|---|
article 9 section 3 |
Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each house at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall be represented to the governor for his approval. If he does not approve it within 15 days, he shall send it together with his comment thereon to the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary of the Interior approves it within 90 days after its receipt by him, it shall become a law; otherwise it shall not. | Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each House at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall become law 90 days after the adjournment of the session in which it was repassed. |
Chapter II article 19 |
An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed while an act required to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior only after its veto by the governor and so approved shall take effect no sooner than 40 days after its return to the governor by the Secretary of the Interior. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act. | An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act. |
Choice | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
For | 5,852 | 44.92 |
Against | 7,177 | 55.08 |
Invalid/blank votes | - | |
Total | 13,029 | 100 |
Registered voters/turnout | 17,774 | |
Source: Direct Democracy |