IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Samoa

Independent State of Samoa

200,509
Population (as of July 29, 2021)

97,111
Registered Voters (as of Aug. 29, 2025)

83.66%
Average Turnout

6
Elections in our database

V-Dem Score: N/A

CEDAW Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Sept. 25, 1992

SIGI Score: N/A

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: Sept. 24, 2014
Ratified Date: Dec. 2, 2016

HDI* Score: 0.708
Category: High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Samoan Legislative Assembly	Fono	Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: Chief TUIMALEALIIFANO Va'aletoa Sualauvi II
Head of Government: Prime Minister FIAME Naomi Mata'afa
Assembly: Samoa has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) with 49 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The Chief is elected by parliament.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the president with the approval of the parliament.
In the Legislative Assembly (Fono), 35 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms and 14 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms. There are seven multi-member constituencies with two seats each. One of these is reserved for part-and non-Samoans. Electors cast two votes in these districts. An amendment was passed to the electoral law in 2013 reserving 5 seats in Parliament for female candidates.

Elections

2025-08-29 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes 90,403
Registered 97,111
Turnout 93.09

2021-04-09 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes 89,514
Registered 128,848
Turnout 69.47

2016-03-04 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes 81,656
Registered 116,000
Turnout 70.39

2011-03-04 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes -
Registered 100,810
Turnout -

2006-03-31 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes 81,608
Registered 79,284
Turnout 102.93

2001-03-02 | Status: Held
Samoan Legislative Assembly
Votes 76,811
Registered 93,213
Turnout 82.4

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2025-08-29	Held	90,403	97,111	93.09
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2021-04-09	Held	89,514	128,848	69.47
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2016-03-04	Held	81,656	116,000	70.39
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2011-03-04	Held	-	100,810	-
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2006-03-31	Held	81,608	79,284	102.93
Samoan Legislative Assembly	2001-03-02	Held	76,811	93,213	82.4

Voter Turnout

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