The 2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008,
[ ] coinciding with the
2008 United States general elections and the
American Samoa general election. Because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a
runoff election
The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate, where voters cast a single vote for their preferred candidate. It generally ensures a majoritarian resul ...
between the top two candidates was held on November 18, 2008, which Togiola Tulafono won.
All elections in American Samoa are officially non-partisan, but Tulafono and Sunia identify with the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
.
Candidates
Incumbent Governor
Togiola Tulafono
Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the 6th Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as lieutenant governor, taking t ...
and
Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their intent to seek re-election on May 10, 2008.
They are being challenged by three
nonpartisan
Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party.
While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
team tickets. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are elected under the same ticket. All elections in American Samoa are nonpartisan.
*
Togiola Tulafono
Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the 6th Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as lieutenant governor, taking t ...
– Incumbent
Governor of American Samoa
This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900.
From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States. Since ...
, affiliated with the Democratic Party
**
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint Ticket (election), ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate ...
:
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia, Incumbent
Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa
The government of American Samoa consists of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the American Samoa Fono, which consists of an 18-member Senate and a 21-member House of Representatives. The first popular election for Governor and ...
*
Afoa Moega Lutu
Afoafouvale Leulumoegafou Suesue Lutu (born February 24, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and attorney. Lutu has served as the former attorney general of American Samoa in two different administrations. He is also a former senator from the d ...
– Former
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
of American Samoa, candidate for governor in 2004,
affiliated with the Republican Party
**Running mate:
Velega Savali
Velega Savali Savali Jr. (born January 11, 1943) is an American Samoan politician. Savali was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the American Samoan gubernatorial election in 2008. He served as the American Samoa Treasurer ...
, former American Samoan
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance.
Government
The treasury o ...
(2005–2008)
*
Utu Abe Malae
Utu Abe Malae (died October 2, 2018) was an American Samoan politician, banker and businessman. A long-time leader of the American Samoa Power Authority, he served in the American Samoa Senate, and was a candidate for Governor of American Samoa ...
– Former President of the
Development Bank of American Samoa
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
* Development hell, when a project is stuck in development
*Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
*Development (music), the process thematic material is reshaped
*Photograph ...
,
affiliated with the Republican Party
**Running mate:
Nua Mailo Saoluaga
Nua Mailo Saoluaga (born May 30, 1948) is an American Samoan politician. He served as the Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 1997 until 2002, and as a Senator from 2013 to 2021.
Nua was a candidate for Lieutenant Gover ...
,
former
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** In ...
of the
American Samoa House of Representatives (1997–2002)
*
Tuika Tuika Tuika Tuika is an American Samoan politician and former member of the American Samoa Fono.
Tuika has worked as an accountant in the Territorial Audit Office and Tax office, as a teacher at the American Samoa Community College, and as a political s ...
–
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy.
Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certifi ...
,
[ affiliated with the Republican Party
**Running mate: ]Tee Masaniai
Te’e Masaniai Jr. is an American Samoan politician and United States military retiree, Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient.
Masaniai was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the 2008 gubernatorial election, as the ...
, United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
retiree[ ]
Election background
Governor Togiola Tulafono
Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the 6th Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as lieutenant governor, taking t ...
and Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their intent to seek re-election on May 10, 2008.[ Their formal announcement, which Tulafono called "the worst kept secret of this season," took place before a crowd of approximately three hundred supporters at the Tradewinds Hotel in ]Tafuna
Tafuna ( sm, Tāfuna) is a village on the east coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is home to Pago Pago International Airport (Tafuna Airport). It is one mile south of Nu'uuli, American Samoa. The Ottoville district is a part of Tafuna. Nea ...
.[
]Afoa Moega Lutu
Afoafouvale Leulumoegafou Suesue Lutu (born February 24, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and attorney. Lutu has served as the former attorney general of American Samoa in two different administrations. He is also a former senator from the d ...
formally announced his own candidacy for Governor of American Samoa at a campaign rally at the same Tradewinds Hotel on May 17, 2008. The rally consisted of about seven hundred Lutu supporters.[ Lutu promised to tackle a number of issues if elected governor, including ]corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
, rising food and energy prices and the economy
An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...
.[
]Utu Abe Malae
Utu Abe Malae (died October 2, 2018) was an American Samoan politician, banker and businessman. A long-time leader of the American Samoa Power Authority, he served in the American Samoa Senate, and was a candidate for Governor of American Samoa ...
and his running mate, Nua Mailo Saoluaga
Nua Mailo Saoluaga (born May 30, 1948) is an American Samoan politician. He served as the Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 1997 until 2002, and as a Senator from 2013 to 2021.
Nua was a candidate for Lieutenant Gover ...
, formally announced their candidacy on June 10, 2008, at a gathering at the Maliu Mai Beach Resort in Pago Pago
Pago Pago ( ; Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the territorial capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila, which is American Samoa's main island. ...
.
This is not the first time that Tulafono and Lutu faced each other in a gubernatorial
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...
election. Tulafono defeated Lutu in the 2004 gubernatorial runoff election with 56 percent of the total vote to Lutu's 44 percent.[ Lutu also fell short in his bids for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the 1996 and 2000 elections, losing both times to Tulafono.]
The President of the American Samoa Senate
The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.
History
American Samoa became a United ...
, Lolo Moliga
Lolo Letalu Matalasi (born August 12, 1947) is an American Samoan politician, educator, and businessman. He served as the 7th Governor of American Samoa, from 2013 to 2021.
Early life and education
Moliga was born in Taʻū, Manu'a, American ...
, also originally announced his intention to run for governor as well. However, Lolo withdrew from the race on June 13, 2008, just two months into his campaign, citing existing commitments to his extended family clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
. He also noted the need to prevent divisiveness within the families of the Manu'a islands, where many of the gubernatorial and Lt. governor candidates have ancestral ties.[
Four of the 2008 candidates for governor or lieutenant governor in the 2008 election either were from or had ancestral ties to the Manu'a Islands.][ Those with Manu'a ancestry are incumbent Lt. Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia, lieutenant governor candidate ]Velega Savali
Velega Savali Savali Jr. (born January 11, 1943) is an American Samoan politician. Savali was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the American Samoan gubernatorial election in 2008. He served as the American Samoa Treasurer ...
, and both members of the gubernatorial team of Utu Abe Malae
Utu Abe Malae (died October 2, 2018) was an American Samoan politician, banker and businessman. A long-time leader of the American Samoa Power Authority, he served in the American Samoa Senate, and was a candidate for Governor of American Samoa ...
and his running mate, Nua Mailo Saoluaga
Nua Mailo Saoluaga (born May 30, 1948) is an American Samoan politician. He served as the Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 1997 until 2002, and as a Senator from 2013 to 2021.
Nua was a candidate for Lieutenant Gover ...
.[
The ]deadline
Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to:
* Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished
Arts, entertainment, and media Comics
* Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain
* ''Deadline'' (magazine), a Britis ...
to register as a candidate for governor in the current election was September 1, 2008, at 4:30 P.M.[ An official list of the four teams was released by the election office the following day.][ ]
Results
References
External links
American Samoa Election Office
*''Official campaign websites''
Afoa and Velega for Governor and Lt. Governor
Nonpartisan candidates
**
Afoa and Velega Official Myspace page
Utu Abe Malae and Nua Mailo Saoluaga for Governor and Lt. Governor
Nonpartisan candidate
Re-elect Togiola Tulafono for Governor 2008
Democratic candidate
Nonpartisan candidates
*
, Democratic candidate
*
, Democratic candidate
{{USGovElections
Gubernatorial election
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
2008 in American Samoa
Non-partisan elections