The Vaimauga No.3 seat in parliament has been decided and the winner had a good gap on other candidates however it is very worrying to note that a large number of registered voters did not cast their votes.

According to the Office of Electoral Commission, 2062 people did not vote and this brings the question on whether the victory represents the true will of the entire constituency. The results are out and Lautimuia Uelese Vaai has been declared the winner as the majority who voted have chosen him.

The question is about the 2,062 who did not vote. Would the results be different if everyone had voted and why did they not vote? These are very important questions which the O.E.C. has to look into. The O.E.C. will now consider fining those who have not voted as is the law.

There are 4,781 registered voters in that constituency and only 57 per cent casted votes which leaves a massive 43 per cent who did not consider voting at all. If the numbers are correct then the O.E.C. is looking at collecting more than $200,000 if people will be fined.

The law in Samoa makes voting compulsory and most members of the public know that a fine of $100 awaits them if they did not vote. Is it that people are happy paying the $100 without having to vote?

If this is true then this is a sad reflection on future polls. Voting is very important and a constitutional right that needs to be exercised because we as people will choose our leaders who will make decisions at community and national level for the betterment of Samoa.

People have the power to make key decisions on the quality of life they want for themselves, their family, and their community. Voting is a chance to stand up for the issues you care about like affordable housing, economic justice, environmental protection, and quality education.

Low turnout means that important local issues are determined by a limited group of voters, making a single vote even more statistically meaningful. While certain propositions may be popular, and therefore seem like a sure thing, they can fail if people stay home.

One way or the other, every person in our community pays taxes – both citizens and non-citizens. And yet, most people don’t know how that money is being used. Voting is your chance to choose how your tax dollars are spent, such as additional funding for health care and social services. This happens both through your vote on specific propositions and ballot measures, as well as those we elect to leadership positions that commit to supporting key social services in our communities.

By voting in the election you can support a candidate who will represent your views in parliament, and can influence the policy issues you care about. An election is also your chance to speak out if you have a complaint about the way the country is being run. Remember, voting is not the only way to participate but it’s the quickest and easiest way!

If you don’t vote, you’ll have had no say over who will be making decisions on the issues important to you.

Voting enables you to help decide who represents your local area in parliament. MPs aren’t just responsible for national policy. It’s also their job to raise local issues and support you as much as they can. You can go to them and ask for advice on certain issues or ask them to promote an issue in parliament.

MPs are able to help with a range of topics ranging from immigration status and support for local infrastructure, to complaints about utility companies. Sometimes their help can really change people’s lives for the better.

By voting you can select the person you want to represent you. You might be helping to keep a helpful MP their job, or by voting for other candidates you can help remove a sitting MP who you think isn’t doing their best for your community.

Voting is also your chance to hold your politicians to account, if you don’t think they’re representing you – vote for someone who will.

This is the power every Samoan has, the power to move the nation forward, the power to end corruption, the power to improve lives, the power to have a better health system, power to have better education and many more things.

And it all depends on your vote.