It is great to see the Office of the Electoral Commission progressing with moves to set up an upgraded e-roll biometric system in preparation for electronic voting. 

The introduction of electronic voting in Samoa’s next general election in 2026 would mark the next evolutionary phase of our voting system and would augur well for eligible voters and the country’s parliamentary democracy.

An article (Electronic voting in place next year) in yesterday’s edition of the Weekend Observer reported on the SAT$1.129 million investment by the OEC which upon its installation will enable electoral officials to verify and confirm the eligibility of voters.

The budget allocation was recently approved in the 2023-2024 national budget for the OEC and is a major expenditure from its total allocation of $4.2 million. 

Electoral Commissioner, Tuiafelolo John Stanley said the office had plans to have a mass registration last month by using the biometric system. But due to the procurement process of acquiring the equipment for fingerprints and photos which has not been finalised, those plans have been pushed back until January next year. 

“We have almost completed tendering process,” said Tuiafelolo noting the equipment should arrive in November this year. 

He said the old system is obsolete and the upgraded system is needed to replace it. 

We commend the Electoral Commissioner and his team for not hesitating and having the confidence to upgrade Samoa’s voting system – if there is electronic voting technology available and within budget for the counting to be quick with a high level of accuracy and prompt results then go for it. In fact, if over the long-term expenses incurred by the OEC during polling are reduced tremendously, then that’s a bonus.

But every time there are discussions about electoral reform in Samoa, we are reminded of the events that followed the 2021 General Election when the leadership of the then-ruling Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) refused to concede defeat and begin a smooth government transition to plunge the country into a Constitutional Crisis.

Those dark days from over two years ago confirmed that while we may have the best electoral systems and processes in place, the unpredictable nature of people in positions of power, and their ability to influence the outcome of a general election, means our democracy remains vulnerable every time the election cycle comes around.

This is why we are keen to see the report containing the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) that was instituted last year following the 2021 General Election get tabled in the House and follow its debate in the Legislative Assembly. 

While the report looked at multiple election-related issues – whose investigation was based on the terms of reference that were drawn up by the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Administration – we hope there is debate in the Parliament focusing on the transition process between an outgoing and an incoming government and how it can be fireproofed against interference from various political actors.

We know that the former ruling party might not want to revisit those dark days if comments attributed to the current HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi are any indication, but this is an issue both aisles of politics in Samoa need to bite the bullet on and reach a consensus by putting in place proper legislative safeguards. 

To get the work started on those proposed legislative safeguards, the Samoa Law Reform Commission (SLRC) should be tasked to begin collating the necessary information, including how a government transition process is undertaken in other countries with similar democratic governing systems.

In fact, we don’t have to look far for examples, of how serious democratic countries seriously take their constitutional processes relating to a government transition period. Six days ago former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts relating to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential elections. It has taken the authorities in the U.S. over two years to get to this stage, which culminated with the former president’s indictment after a federal grand jury began its investigation of the siege of the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021 by Trump’s supporters and loyalists.

Any attempt to overturn a general election result, which represents the wishes of the people, is a crime and should be seen as such. Having celebrated the country’s 61st Independence anniversary two months ago, let’s not be afraid to make those tough choices and decisions to protect Samoa’s form of democracy for the benefit of the people.