Two more candidates have withdrawn from running in the 2021 General Election to bring the total number of candidates to 194 for this election cycle.

The candidates are Seulu Esau Westerlund of Aiga i le Tai and Tupuola Mano Siaosi of Siumu. Both were registered under the Human Rights Protection Party banner.

Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio confirmed the withdrawal of the two candidates this week in a public notice. 

Tupuola’s withdrawal leaves five candidates in the running for the Siumu constituency, with four of them flying the H.R.P.P. banner. The fifth candidate, and sole woman, is vying for the seat under the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party. 

Similarly, the contest for the Aiga i le Tai seat will now feature four candidates following the withdrawal by Seulu; four representing the H.R.P.P. and one for the F.A.S.T. party. The four H.R.P.P. candidates include one woman. 

This brings the total number of H.R.P.P. candidates down to 110 from 114 (including independent members) of those who registered in October last year. In 2016 the ruling party endorsed 83 candidates. 

The second largest political party vying for public office is F.A.S.T. that now has 53 candidates in the running. This follows independent members joining the party following the dissolution of the Parliament; one of whom is the party's new leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. 

Tautua Samoa Party has confirmed 20 candidates for the upcoming General Election, in a pre-election coalition with Samoa First Political Party and Sovereign Independent Samoa.

Tautua is the last recognised opposition party that sat during the XV Parliament (2011-2016). They recorded 24 candidates in the previous election cycle.

Compared to the 2016 General Election, where a total of 171 candidates registered to contest the seats, the total number of candidates running for the XVII term of the Legislative Assembly is 194. 

Despite surpassing the previous total, the number of women candidates have dropped in this upcoming election. 

There were 24 women candidates who contested for the XVI term of the Parliament (2016-2021) and only 21 registered for the upcoming election, with Fiame running uncontested for the Lotofaga constituency. 

Caretaker Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi and Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi representing the H.R.P.P. are also running uncontested and have secured their seats for the next parliamentary term.