1970 Western Samoan general election

None July 2025 1970 Western Samoan general election Western Samoa parliamentary no 1967 Western Samoan general election 1967 1973 Western Samoan general election 1973 All 47 seats in the Legislative Assembly 7 February 1970 Independent politician 47 seats 47 Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV Independent politician Independent politician General elections were held in Western Samoa on 7 February 1970. All candidates ran as independents, with voting restricted to Faʻamatai and citizens of European origin ("individual voters"), with the matais electing 45 MPs and Europeans two.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p782 0-19-924959-8 Following the election, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV became prime minister. Background A parliamentary debate on introducing universal suffrage was held on 27 March 1969. The motion by Letele Taneolevao Siaosi, the youngest member of parliament, would still limit candidacy to the 8,500 matais, but allow all citizens over the age of 21 (numbering over 30,000) to vote in elections. Prior to 1967 elections, the number of matais was increased significantly, as candidates seeking to increase their vote were able to bestow titles on people to create new matai.Matai—by the truckload Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1967, p20 Following the elections, a law was introduced that prohibited conferring of a matai title on anyone younger than 21. Although Prime Minister Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II had been in favour of universal suffrage during the 1954 and 1960 constitutional conventions, he opposed the motion, arguing that voters had approved limiting suffrage to matais in the 1961 constitutional referendum, which had been held under universal suffrage. Members of the Legislative Assembly voted 37–6 against the motion.The chiefs keep their power in W. Samoa Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1969, p28 Campaign Over 150 candidates contested the elections.(2) W. Samoa Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1970, p26 Fifteen candidates were returned unopposed, including Faimaala Filipo, who became Western Samoa's first female MP, and Prime Minister Fiamē Mataʻafa. Results Twenty-one of the forty-seven elected members were new to the Legislative Assembly.Tamasese is new Prime Minister Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1970, p27 Independents 7038 47 95   Total ballots cast 9968 Nohlen et al. Aftermath The newly elected Legislative Assembly met for the first time on 25 February. In the first round of the election for prime minister, Fiamē Mataʻafa received 19 votes, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV 17 and Tufuga Efi 10. The second ballot saw Mata'afa and Tupua both receive 23 votes. A third round of voting was held the following day, which Tupua won by 25 votes to 20. It was reported that Mata'afa would almost certainly have won in the second round had one of his supporters, To'omata Lilomaiava Tua, not died the previous week. Tupua's new cabinet consisted entirely of first-time ministers.(1) It's a vital, young cabinet Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1970, pp50–51 PositionMinisterPrime MinisterTupua Tamasese Lealofi IVMinister for AgricultureAsi LeavasaMinister for EducationAmoa TausiliaMinister for FinanceTofa SiaosiMinister for HealthFuimaono MoasopeMinister of JusticeTuala PauloMinister for Land and Land RegistryPolataivao FosiMinister for the Post Office, Radio and BroadcastingFatialofa MomoʻeMinister for Works and TransportTufuga Efi A cabinet reshuffle took place in March 1971 when Fatialofa Momoʻe resigned. Vaai Kolone was brought into the government as Minister of Health, with Fuimaono Moasope becoming Minister for the Post Office, Radio and Broadcasting in place of Momoʻe. Minister of Justice Tuala Paulo and Minister for Education Amoa Tausilia also exchanged portfolios.In a nutshell Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1971, p28 See also List of members of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa (1970–1973) References External links Samoan election results by constituency 1964–2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20211027050704/https://devpolicy.org/samoaelections/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Samoan-Election-Results-PDF.pdf 27 October 2021 Samoa Election Results Database Western Samoa General Category:Elections in Samoa Category:Non-partisan elections Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results