In less than a week, voter registration for the general election will stop, and if people have not registered to vote, they will miss out on the chance to have a say in the next government.

The Office of the Electoral Commissioner has been working tirelessly to ensure that as many people as possible are registered. People are also making attempts to get registered, some trying to get registered after they finish work, but as the end of registration nears, this will become harder. The OEC staff have been turning away people coming to registration venues towards closing time because there is already a capacity crowd inside. The staff of the OEC are finishing late and returning to the main office after 10 pm. These people also have families and commitments, and most have been working tirelessly. Instead of criticism, the OEC staff need to be applauded for their hard work in trying to deliver a free and fair election.

There is a need for employers to allow their staff who need to register, time off with pay. It is a legal requirement for people to get registered, and failure to do so results in a penalty. Employers are duty-bound to ensure that their employees can register. If you are an employer and your employee has not registered, allow him or her to either register first and then return to work or take a half-day off to ensure that the employee is not breaking any laws.

From the last update provided on 8 pm Friday, June 20, there are 31,000 people yet to register, while more than 85,000 have made an effort to have a say in the election. Surprisingly, the rural constituencies are setting the pace for voter re-registration. The national registration rate is at 73 per cent with just five days left to register.

Some constituencies have outperformed expectations, exceeding their 2021 electoral roll numbers. Leading the charge is Gagaifomauga No. 2 with a 124 per cent registration rate, followed closely by Gagaifomauga No. 3 (121 per cent), Falealupo(117 per cent), Vaa o Fonoti (116 per cent), and Gagaemauga No. 2 (115 per cent). In contrast, some urban constituencies are struggling to keep pace. Faleata No. 3, located in the Apia area, currently holds the lowest re-registration rate in the country at just 44 per cent, with over 2,700 eligible voters yet to register. Vaimauga No. 2(45 per cent) and Vaimauga No. 3 (56 per cent) also rank among the lowest-performing constituencies.

By comparison, constituencies such as Siumu (93 per cent), Lepa (95 per cent), Palauli No. 3 (97 per cent), and Faasaleleaga No. 3 (96 per cent) are close to completion, with only a small fraction of their voting population remaining unregistered. Online registrations have also picked up, with 9,051 applications submitted through the digital portal—4,790 completed, and 4,261 still pending. Most overseas completions have come from New Zealand (118) and Australia (63).

Registering to vote is important because it holds the power to ensure the future of children is protected, it could be the long-lost answer to eradicating violence in homes, ridding child vendors off the streets and improving the lives of every child, woman and man.

Do not sell that vote, and do not succumb to pressure by the village council, which tells people who they should vote for or face village penalties. Each matai is a leader, and he or she must ensure that every voter in their village fulfils their right to vote and vote for any candidate they like. Village councils and chiefs have to move away from the practice of enforcing votes because a victory for their favoured candidate means money and progress for them. There is a greater motive at play, which is the good of the nation. Such greed has also resulted in self-serving elected leaders.

Your vote counts, and you have the right to choose who to vote for. It is time to open our eyes beyond the short-term gain and vote for those who will work for you and carry your voice in parliament, and not make their voice yours. 

The power to make the change is yours; do it for a better Samoa.