Tunumafono Wins by Just 2 Votes as Women Dominate Men in Safata By-election

2026-02-28 - 08:57

Tunumafono Clare Tai Tin from the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party has won the Safata 1 by-election, by just 2 votes! The Office of the Electoral Commission confirmed the final numbers today after the official count. Candidates’ election committees scrutinised the counting today, checking each ballot paper to ensure the voters intention was clear. Tunumafono received 555 votes, edging out Tafafunai Saolotoga Fuimaono Mimio also from FAST, who pulled 553 votes. The law allows for a final count before the Courts, should Tafafunai’s committee wish to scrutinise the ballot papers further, especially given the close count. The other candidates were Tafafunai Aialii Anapu with 364 votes, Luailepou Tikilapilesa Misi from HRPP with 266 votes, and Tuigamala Vaisilika Tuigamala with 118 votes. The Electoral Constituency of Safata 1 returned to by-elections after the Supreme Court found the elected Member of Parliament, Anapu Seve Tei Fuimaono, guilty of 6 instances of corrupt practices. The forner MP for Safata, Leaana Ronnie Mulitalo Posini, who brought the petition against the winning woman MP, was also found guilty of 14 instances of corrupt practices. Tunumafono Clare Tai Tin and Tafafunai Saolotoga Fuimaono Mimio were the two women who ran against 3 men.