1976 Western Samoan general election

21 February 1976
All 47 seats in the Legislative Assembly
First party   Party Independents Last election 47 seats Seats won 47 Seat change
Prime Minister before election Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV Acting Independent Subsequent Prime Minister Tupuola Efi Independent

Politics of Samoa
Constitution
Executive O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II Council of Deputies Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio Cabinet Ministries
Legislative Legislative Assembly Speaker: Papali’i Li’o Taeu Masipau Members
Judiciary Court of Appeal of Samoa Supreme Court Chief Justice: Satiu Simativa Perese
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General elections were held in Western Samoa on 21 February 1976. All candidates ran as independents and voting was restricted to Matai and citizens of European origin ("individual voters"), with the Matai electing 45 MPs and Europeans two.^[1] Following the election, Tupuola Efi became Prime Minister.

Background

In the aftermath of the previous election held in 1973, parliament elected Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II to another non-consecutive term as prime minister, defeating the incumbent Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV and challenger Tupuola Efi.^[2] Fiamē served as Western Samoa's head of government until his death two years later in 1975. The O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) Malietoa Tanumafili II appointed Tupua Tamasese to serve as acting prime minister until the next election.^[3]

Campaign

A total of 169 candidates contested the 47 seats. Four seats had only one candidate, who was returned unopposed.^[4]

Results

Of the 36 incumbent MLAs contesting the elections, only 14 were re-elected. Ministers Alfonso Philipp and Fepuleai Samuelu were amongst those losing their seats.^[3]

Aftermath

The election result in Fa'asaleleaga No. 4 where I'iga Suafole had won by one vote was overturned following a petition by runner-up Mulitalo Siafausa, who claimed that unqualified voters had participated in the election. The Supreme Court annulled one vote for Suafole, and a by-election was ordered for the seat.^[5]

Following the elections, the Legislative Assembly elected Leota Leuluaiali'i Ituau Ale as Speaker. In the contest for Prime Minister, Tupuola Efi defeated the incumbent Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV by 31 votes to 16, becoming the first Prime Minister not to hold one of the four Tama-a-Aiga titles.^[3] Efi appointed a nine-member cabinet, while Lealofi resigned from the Assembly and was elected to the Council of Deputies.^[3]

See also

• List of members of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa (1976–1979)

References