With just a few days left before the voter registration deadline, the latest figures from the Office of the Electoral Commissioner (OEC) show that more than 29,000 eligible voters across Samoa are yet to register for the upcoming general election.

As of 8 pm on Monday, 23 June, a total of 87,306 voters had completed their registration, representing 74 per cent of the total estimated voting population of 117,225 based on EMIS and census data. That leaves 29,919 people, or 26 per cent, still unaccounted for.

Urban constituencies remain among the most under-registered, with Faleata No.3 reporting only 46 per cent of its eligible voters registered — the lowest of all 51 electoral constituencies. It is closely followed by Vaimauga No.2 and Vaimauga No.3, both at 57 per cent.

In contrast, rural areas and some Savai'i constituencies have exceeded expectations. Gagaifomauga No.2 and Gagaifomauga No.3 reported registration rates of 126 per cent and 122 per cent, respectively, based on EMIS projections, a sign that either population shifts or inaccuracies in projected rolls may be at play.

Other constituencies with high registration rates include Siumu (95 per cent), Lepa (96 per cent), and Satupaitea (103 per cent).

Internationally, 9,671 voters completed online registration, with the majority from Samoa (5,320), New Zealand (125), and Australia (67). While overseas registration remains open for now.

All four Vaimauga constituencies combined account for more than 7,400 voters still unregistered. Faleata No.1 and No.3 also report high volumes of unregistered individuals, with over 3,600 and 2,600 yet to sign up, respectively.