By Staff Writer
Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio
The Gagaifomauga No. 3 electoral constituency will go into a by-election to fill the seat left empty with the resignation of the MP La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt who ‘verbally resigned’ a few weeks ago.
The Office of the Electoral Commissioner received a warrant from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for a by-election of the Savaii constituency to be called.
Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio confirmed the warrant reaching his office last Friday, to confirm the resignation of the incumbent.
The Constituency election roll for the registration of voters for polling officially opens on Monday.
“Staff from our office will be visiting the Gagaifomauga Constituency villages of Aopo, Fagae’e, Letui and Sasina, to register all who are eligible to vote in the by-election,” Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua confirmed further.
Public notice of the voters’ registrations is now served to continue over the next two weeks up to the 31st of the Month, 31 July 2020.
A date will be set once the registration of the voters roll is closed.
“We were only called into the preparation of a by-election once the warrant to confirm the resignation of the MP was served to us on Friday,” Faimalomatumua reacted when asked for confirmation of a written resignation by the holder of the seat.
Polling for Gagaifomauga No. 3 is still possible within the 9 months left of the full 5 year term of Parliament still left to run.
The deadline for the holding of smaller elections is 6 months prior to the general elections, which in this case is still 3 months away.
MP La’auli verbally resigned during a debate on a Parliament Select Committee report that found him guilty of misleading the House over the purchase of a $300,000 generator for the new Tanumalala Prison.
He made a public announcement on the local media that he was forming a new political party and is not returning to Parliament.
The Office of the Speaker is yet to comment officially on the requirements of the House Standing Orders for a written resignation from members to make it official.