Samoa goes to the polls at a time of great significance for our people. Elections are not just about choosing leaders. They are about renewing our commitment to the values that define us as a country. From the first vote after independence in 1962 to today, the right to cast a ballot has symbolised our freedom, our self-determination and our unity as a people.

Much has changed since those early days. Samoa has grown, modernised and faced challenges that have tested our resilience. Yet one truth remains the same: democracy only works when every citizen takes part. Voting is both a privilege and a duty. It is how we carry forward the promise of independence and ensure that the voices of all Samoans, from villages large and small, are heard.

Our Constitution is the foundation of this process. It not only grants the right to vote, it also protects the freedoms that make democracy possible: the right to express freely, to assemble, to move freely, and to be treated equally before the law. With these rights comes the guarantee of law and order. Without order, chaos follows, and with chaos, the people suffer. The law is the safeguard that keeps our society stable and ensures that power is exercised fairly and responsibly.

That is why this election must also be about peace. Campaigns bring heated debate and differences of opinion, but when the ballots are counted, the result belongs to the people. Whatever the outcome, it reflects the collective choice of Samoa. Accepting that outcome is the essence of democracy. It is of the people, by the people, for the people.

Democracy is never perfect. It can be divisive and at times difficult. But it remains the fairest system because it gives equal weight to every vote, whether from Savaii or Upolu, from the villages or the towns. On election day, all citizens stand side by side with the same power to decide the future of Samoa.

As you step into the polling booth, remember that you are part of something larger than yourself. Your vote is your voice, but together those voices become the will of the people. Honour that responsibility, protect the peace, respect the law, and let us move forward as one people under one Constitution.