It is the rural constituencies and not the urban Apia setting the pace for voter re-registration. Fresh data released by the Office of the Electoral Commission (OEC) shows that as of 8 pm Friday, June 20, more than 85,000 voters have re-registered, placing the national rate at 73 per cent with just two months left before the country heads to the polls.

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).

With more than 31,000 people still unregistered, the OEC is encouraging eligible voters to complete the process ahead of the upcoming snap election.

The top-performing constituencies based on registration rates:

• Gagaifomauga No. 2 – 124%

• Gagaifomauga No. 3 – 121%

• Falealupo – 117%

• Vaa o Fonoti – 116%

• Gagaemauga No. 2 – 115%