A WEB

The General Election 2025 in Samoa was conducted under exceptional circumstances following the early dissolution of Parliament, triggered by the failure of the national budget to pass. In accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2019, a Warrant of Election was issued, initiating a tightly scheduled electoral process.

Despite the compressed timeframe, the Office of the Electoral Commission (OEC) successfully delivered a credible, peaceful, and well-coordinated election. A key achievement was the nationwide voter registration programme, which enrolled over 102,000 voters through an extensive 15-month mass registration exercise conducted from April 2024 to July 2025. Note that elections in Samoa function on a continuous roll, and the most recent national re-registration program took place in 2005. For the re-registration that was carried out for the GE 2025, strict documentation and biometric verification were applied to all registrants to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the electoral roll, resulting in 101,968 eligible voters for the election.

The election was contested by 188 candidates across 51 constituencies, representing seven political parties and independent candidates. To ensure accessibility and inclusiveness, a total of 417 polling booths were established nationwide, including mobile polling stations to serve hospitals and essential service centres.

Polling was conducted over two days, 27 and 29 August 2025, and proceeded in a peaceful and orderly manner. Out of 97,111 registered voters on the final roll, 90,319 votes were cast. This reflects a voter turnout of 93%, a significant increase compared to 73% recorded in the 2021 General Election, demonstrating a strong level of civic engagement and renewed public participation. Of the total votes cast, 89,621 were valid votes while 698 were recorded as informal. 

To further enhance accessibility, Out-of-Constituency Voting (OCV) was expanded, with 8,857 votes cast under this arrangement—representing approximately 9.8% of total votes. Notably, 41% of these votes were cast within the same island, highlighting the importance of flexible voting mechanisms to accommodate internal mobility.

The successful delivery of the General Election 2025 was underpinned by strong coordination, comprehensive voter education programmes, and the professionalism of polling officials. The OEC also worked closely with key stakeholders, including security agencies, government institutions, political parties, and the media, to ensure the integrity and transparency of the process.

While the election reaffirmed Samoa’s commitment to democratic principles, it also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in the legal and operational framework, as proposed legislative reforms were not enacted prior to the snap election.

Overall, the 2025 General Election demonstrated the resilience of Samoa’s electoral system and the collective commitment of its people and institutions to uphold free, fair, and transparent elections.