Unregistered voters referred

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 18 May 2016, 12:00AM

The Office of the Electoral Commissioner has referred more than sixty eligible voters who did not register to vote in the March General Election to the Police for action.

This was confirmed by the Acting Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, in an emailed response to questions from the Samoa Observer.

According to Faimalo, from the first list of voters advertised, 69 of them have been charged. 

Faimalo also pointed out that since the electoral roll was reopened after the election, about 400 people have voluntarily registered at their Office. 

The O.E.C. will meet with the Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil today to discuss the most effective way to go about charging other unregistered voters. 

“We have already advertised three lists of hundreds and we will continue to advertise them by hundreds for practicality reasons,” explained Faimalo. 

“Since we reopened the electoral rolls following the declaration of the recent elections results, we have had about 400 voters who have come in on their own to register…not waiting for any candidate or committee to bring them down to register.”

Faimalo said they want to re-emphasize the importance of people exercising their rights to vote.

He added that the Electoral office advise those who have turned 21 to register and avoid getting charged and possibly convicted for something so simple.

“It’s also free of charge in case there are people out there wondering if there are any charges,” said Faimalo. 

“The law is clear that any person who has turned 21 years old must register as a voter within one month of turning 21.”

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 18 May 2016, 12:00AM

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