Faleata 4 candidate Ulu Bismarc Crawley walks into the OEC office to officially register for one of the three by-elections lined up for Siumu and Va’a o Fonoti as well.
By Staff Writer
The official registration of candidates for the electoral constituencies of Siumu, Va’a o Fonoti and Faleata 4 by-elections, closed with a few minor surprises at 12.00pm midday today, 25 Friday 2023.
The electoral constituencies of Siumu and Va’a o Fonoti, will each include one additional candidate for the upcoming by-elections, other than the long declared nominees for the main political parties, FAST and HRPP.
The Siumi by-election run off between Tuu’u Amaramo for the HRPP and Tuu’u Anasi’i, as the previous HRPP sitting MP and now running under the FAST banner, will include the challenge by independent candidate, Fa’alogo Kapeli.
The Va’a o Fonoti contest between previous sitting MP Mau’u Siaosi, now registered in the FAST colours, against HRPP newcomer Leausa Dr. Naseri, will also involve Feutaga’iimealelei Osovale as a candidate for the newly registered political party CDRP.
No added candidate in the race for the Faleata 4 seat, which will come down once again to the clash between former sitting MP Ale Vena and his general elections opponent and independent candidate, Ulu Bismarc.
The Speaker was forced to call for by-elections after consultations with Judiciary members to legally declare the former HRPP member seats vacant.
Previous holders Ale Vena, Tuu’u Anasi’i and Mau’u Siaosi, resigned as HRPP MPs to leave the seats empty, but stayed on at the discretion of the Speaker before agreeing to call for by-elections as required under the Constitution.
The Constitutional Democratic Republic Party, CDRU, is a new addition to the political parties landscape and had to be officially registered before its candidate, who has to register separately, is allowed to run as a by-election candidate.
Registered candidates have all of next week to make a final decision whether to continue on to the by-elections or withdraw their candidacy.
An overall total of more than 6 thousand voters are listed in the electoral rolls for the three electoral constituencies.
The bigger constituencies of Faleata 4 and Siumu, each carry electoral rolls of just over 2,200 voters with Vaai o Fonoti listing just over 1,600 in its voters roll.
By election voting dates are set for the 13th and 15th of September 2023.