An incident at the Letogo Catholic pre-polling booth on Wednesday has raised questions about media access and election security during Samoa’s snap election.

Radio Samoa’s Lilomaiava Maina Misa told the Samoa Observer that she was prevented by police from entering the pre-polling site while attempting to cover voting activities.

“I am upset at how the media is being handled during the election,” Lilomaiava said. “Journalists play a crucial role in keeping the public informed. It is important that we are able to carry out our duties without undue restrictions, especially during an event as significant as a snap election.”

The situation prompted a response from Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo, who described the incident as a “misunderstanding.” He explained that the confusion stemmed from the enforcement of the 50-metre boundary rule around polling booths, which prevents photographers from taking images too close to voters and the polling process.

“The Samoa Police fully supports the media and their role. All officers have been instructed to stop photographers only if they cross the 50-metre boundary,” Auapaau said. “The media plays a vital role in ensuring transparency in our elections, and it is important that journalists can perform their duties without interference.”

The Office of the Electoral Commission (OEC) also weighed in, suggesting that the police officer involved may not have been fully aware of the pre-polling guidelines or had not paid sufficient attention during the pre-election briefing. The OEC emphasised that while security measures are necessary to protect voters and the electoral process, these must be balanced with ensuring that journalists can cover the elections effectively.

The Journalists Association of Western Samoa (JAWS) called for clear communication between authorities and the press to prevent similar situations in the future.

JAWS highlighted that transparent reporting is essential in maintaining public confidence in the electoral process and that any restrictions on media access should be clearly communicated and consistently enforced.