Eligible voters from the Vaimauga No.3. constituency who are yet to register for the forthcoming by-election have been advised that they can now apply using the Samoa Voters Portal on their mobile phones or any electronic devices. 

The Office of the Electoral Commission (O.E.C.) issued the public notice last week, informing the voters that they now have another option to register online.

"If you cannot make it to the ongoing Door to Door registration work for Vaimauga N0.3, you can now check your eligibility and APPLY using our SAMOA VOTERS PORTAL on your Mobile Phone or Computer," the public notice reads. 

O.E.C. started voter registration services for the eligible voters within the Electoral constituency of Vaimauga No.3 on Wednesday, 11 January with the electoral roll to be temporarily closed on Friday this week. 

The office also began its door-to-door registrations on Monday last week. 

The Warrant for Issue of Writs from the Speaker, Papali'i Li'o Ta'eu Masipau was issued on January 9, asking the Acting Electoral Commissioner to "proceed forthwith to issue the Writ for Vaimauga 3 by-election to elect a Member of Parliament to fill the vacancy created, following the passing away" of former MP Tapunu'u Niko Lee Hang in November of 2022. 

The O.E.C. then advised the eligible voters of the constituency who are yet to register to vote, to tie a white cloth in front of their residence to indicate that the registration service carried out by O.E.C. is required. 

The electoral constituency of Vaimauga No.3. is made of of the villages of Fa'atoia, Vini, Maagao, Magiagi, Magiagi-Uta, Lelata, Letava, Matautu-tai, Matautu-Uta, Leone, Vaisigano, Vailima, Vaoala, Afiamalu, Afiamalu Sisifo, Papaloloa, Papauta, Tanugamanono, Tiapapata, Avele, Nafanua, Tanumaleko, Malololelei and Tiavi. 

Tapunuu had been the elected representative for the constituency for five consecutive parliamentary term before he died at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital on 29 November 2022, a day after returning from New Zealand where he underwent treatment.  

He was a former Cabinet Minister and a member of the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.).