The Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party increased their popular vote share in last week's by-elections by a thumping average of more than 70 per cent, as voters switched parties in droves. 

All six by-elections were held in seats held by the former Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) Government, making some of F.A.S.T.'s vote gains all the more remarkable. 

The seat figures have been compiled and analysed from the Office of the Election Commission's data, comparing the change in voter support from April to late November.

The increase of an average vote for F.A.S.T. of 33.5 per during the April election to more than 57.5 per cent, represents a growth in the party's primary vote by a little less than three-quarters or 72 per cent.

Analysis by the Samoa Observer shows that in the seat of Aleipata-Itupa-i-lalo alone, in which only 10 per cent of the eligible voting population voted for F.A.S.T. in April's election, while 80 per cent of the voters went to the H.R.P.P.

A frequent refrain from the opposition leader, Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi, was that while F.A.S.T. claimed a majority of seats. the H.R.P.P. secured a greater share of the popular vote. These figures are a major setback to that rhetoric. 

During last week's by-election, 64 per cent of the eligible constituents from Aleipata-Itupa-i-Lalo voted for the F.A.S.T. candidates with 36 per cent went to the H.R.P.P. party.

In Sagaga No.4., 42 per cent of electors cast ballots for F.A.S.T. in April's election and 58 per cent voted for H.R.P.P. 

But the by-election results shows that the number of people who voted for the F.A.S.T. from Sagaga No.4. has increased by more than 40  per cent. The F.A.S.T. party won a total of 60 per cent of the voting population from Sagaga, while 40 per cent went to the H.R.P.P. party. 

The F.A.S.T. party before the by-elections largely operated as a party, conducting different roadshows within the six contested seats, seeking approval and blessings from the voters to vote for their candidates. 

The voters from the different constituencies had the opportunity to hear about what the governing party had achieved thus far since they took over and also gave the candidates who stood for office the chance to speak in front of the voters, announcing the different plans they have for each of the six constituencies. 

The roadshows were live-streamed on the party's Facebook page for everyone to see. 

The H.R.P.P. on the other hand had a different campaign strategy. 

While the party denied conducting roadshows leading up the by-elections, they did travel out to the different villages from the different constituencies in Samoa calling their meetings "seminars."

Unlike April's election, the H.R.P.P. utilised social media as part of their by-election campaign strategy. 

The H.R.P.P. used different social media platforms to introduce their candidates and their wishes for the constituencies. 

The leadership of the party were also very active spearheading the election campaigns by conducting talk shows on radio, live streamed videos on different media outlets and on social media. 

According to an independent analysis by the Samoa Observer, the F.A.S.T. the party won more than half of those who voted from the six constituencies last week Friday. 

The H.R.P.P.'s performance: 

H.R.P.P., who in October predicted it would win back all seven seats up for grabs, only won two on Election day last Friday. 

 The party's candidate who registered to contest the seat of Falealupo seat in Savai'i was disqualified by the Supreme Court on the week of by-elections, after the F.A.S.T. candidate successfully challenged his eligibility in court. 

With eight candidates, they won a total of 4,270 votes across the six constituencies, out of the 10,213 who voted in last week's election. 

In Sagaga No.2, the party won a total of 1001 votes from the two candidates they had from Sagaga No. 2 That's 138 more votes than the party received in April's election. 

In Sagaga No. 4, 801 out of the 3,252 (total of eligible voters) went to the H.R.P.P. party. The number of voters earned by the H.R.P.P. in Sagaga No. 4 had dropped compared to April's election where the party won a total of 1,130 votes. 

This was also the case for the electoral constituency of Falealili No. 2, where the number of votes won by the H.R.P.P. had dropped from 560 in April's election to 393 after last week's election. The party had one candidate who was up against two F.A.S.T. candidates. 

For the constituency of Safata No.2., the H.R.P.P. won a total of 798 votes, which is 395 less than the total amount of votes the party earned in April's election. 

At A'ana Alofi No. 2, the figures show that the constituency remains a H.R.P.P. stronghold. The party won a total of 905 votes from the three candidates they had for April's election. For the by-elections last week, the party managed to collect a total of 632 votes from the two candidates who contested under the H.R.P.P. banner. 

In Aleipata-Itupa-i-Lalo, the H.R.P.P. party failed to earn back more than half of the votes they got from April's election. The number of voters who voted for the H.R.P.P. had dropped from 1,582 to only 642. However, that number was more than enough for the party's lone female candidate to be chosen as the sixth woman M.P. when the O.E.C. activated the 10 per cent quota system earlier this week. 

The F.A.S.T. party's performance: 

Unlike the H.R.P.P. party, the Chairman of the F.A.S.T. made no prediction prior to the by-elections last month. 

The leadership of the party however told the Samoa Observer before the crucial by-elections that they did not take their preparations lightly and were aiming to get as many seats as possible. 

This has resulted in them gaining five more seats after the by-elections. 

However, the party could have secured another seat had they opted to field one or two candidates in one of the seats that was won by the H.R.P.P. 

In Sagaga No. 2, while one of the H.R.P.P. candidates emerged as the winner of the seat after the election on Friday, the F.A.S.T. party won the majority of votes from the constituency. 

The party had three candidates and the number of votes they garnered totals up to 1,382. That is 282 votes ahead of the number of votes that went to the H.R.P.P. party after the by-elections. The results from the by-election also shows that the party earned a total of 726 votes this time around, compared to the number of votes they earned in April's election. 

At Falealili No.2., the party collected a total of 751 votes from the two candidates who contested under the party's banner, that is 82 more votes than the number of votes they received in the General Election. 

The major shifts were seen within the constituencies of Safata No.2. and Aleipata-Itupa-i-Lalo. 

In Aleipata-Itupa-i-Lalo, the constituency earned a total of 940 votes added to the total of 206 they had after April's election. 

At Safata No. 2., the F.A.S.T. party earned a little more than half of the votes they collected in April's election. 

Popular vote: 

The percentage for popular vote for the six contested constituencies show that there has been a major shift in political parties. 

The results from April's election for the six seats stated that a total of 66.48 per cent of the votes went to the H.R.P.P. party while only 33.52 per cent went to the F.A.S.T. party. 

However, the by-elections last week shows that 57.70 per cent of the voters from the six constituencies got behind the newcomer F.A.S.T. party that is now at the helm. 

A total of 42.30 per cent voted for the H.R.P.P.

Summary: 

For the six constituencies, a total of 11,028 voters cast their votes in April's election. However, that number has decreased by 815 after the by-election last week, with a total of 10,213. 

The figures from the O.E.C. shows that the total number of eligible voters for the six seats that were up for by-elections was 15,709.