Member of Parliament for Faleata No.4 Ale Vena Ale has dismissed the notion of an imminent snap election, countering recent projections by Opposition Leader Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. 

Speaking exclusively to the Samoa Observer, Ale made it clear that a snap election is far from feasible, emphasising the significant procedural and logistical hurdles currently facing Samoa's electoral system.

“A snap election is not an option at this stage,” Ale declared. “There are numerous factors that must be addressed before considering such a path.” 

He pointed to the dissolution of the electoral roll used in the 2021 General Election and subsequent by-elections. 

The Office of the Electoral Commission (O.E.C.) is in the midst of re-registering all eligible voters domestically and abroad, a process that Ale underscored as incomplete.

Ale revealed that he had contacted the O.E.C. last week and was informed that re-registration has yet to reach even half of the targeted eligible voter population. 

He cautioned that proceeding with the outdated electoral roll from 2021 without parliamentary approval would be illegal. 

“Unless we bring the old electoral roll back to Parliament for restoration, it cannot legally be used,” he explained.

Ale highlighted the extensive timeframe and resources required to organise another election, given that both the O.E.C. and the nation are already gearing up for the general election next year. 

“There is a defined process for elections, including candidate nominations and campaigns, and initiating that now would not be ideal,” he added.

Ale also refuted Tuilaepa’s assertion that the Head of State holds the unilateral authority to call for a snap election. 

According to Ale, the Head of State can only act on the advice of the Prime Minister.

On the other hand, Tuilaepa acknowledged the escalating political instability in Samoa, suggesting that the Head of State may soon have no choice but to call an early election if the current crisis continues to hinder national progress. 

Tuilaepa's comments were in response to questions from the Samoa Observer in regards to the recent criminal charges against former Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, as a catalyst for growing unrest.

“If this were happening in other countries, like New Zealand, a snap election would have been called already,” Tuilaepa asserted. 

He pointed to the deteriorating state of national infrastructure as evidence of the government's failure to focus on critical public needs. 

“Look at our roads—they are deteriorating every day, with potholes everywhere. I don’t believe they will be fixing these issues anytime soon. The focus has shifted away from the people’s needs toward political power struggles.”

In Tuilaepa’s view, the ongoing political crisis has diverted attention from essential issues such as infrastructure, healthcare, and the rising cost of living. 

He criticised the current administration for prioritising internal conflicts over effective governance. “If the government cannot fulfil the duties they were elected for, then alternatives need to be considered to prevent Samoa from sliding into further turmoil,” he stressed.

In a previous interview with the Electoral Commissioner, Tuiafelolo John Stanley said that the re-registration process aims to be completed by last November, with the intention of comparing the new roll against the 2021 electoral list. 

Any discrepancies will be addressed in a second phase of re-registration.

According to statistical projections from the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (S.B.S.), the target for re-registration is 117,000 eligible voters for the 2026 election, including those who will reach voting age by then. This figure contrasts with the 127,000 voters registered in 2021.