Villages across Samoa spent Thursday preparing for today's national elections as church halls across the country were converted into polling venues. 

The Taelefaga Fagaloa Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S) hall and several others were being made converted into election venues by congregation members when the Samoa Observer visited on Thursday morning. 

Reverend Tapuni Maulolo said he had not seen the electoral roll but believed that the majority of Vaa o Fonoti voters would cast their ballots in the C.C.C.S. Taelefaga Fagaloa's facility. 

Rev. Maulolo told the Samoa Observer on Thursday that they were currently waiting for officials to arrive later on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the church's women's committee was busy setting up the chairs and the tables for the Office of the Electoral Commission and preparing refreshments for officials who would stay overnight ahead of the election.

"The women have come to prepare the hall for tomorrow’s programme," Rev. Maulolo said.

The Samoa Observer also visited the Falefa Catholic Hall on Thursday afternoon where preparations had been completed for Friday’s poll. 

Chairs, tables, and a polling booth had already been set up at the parish hall. 

A representative of the parish was not available for comment on Thursday.

One voter, Ioane Amituanai Sefo of Lotofaga, who makes his livelihood selling coconuts on the side of the road, is excited about Friday's election even though he will not be a participant.

While other parts of the country are busy preparing to vote, Ioane will not be voting in Friday's elections as his constituency, Lotofaga, represented by the former Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, will not be contested in the election. 

(Last month the Head of State, His Highness Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II, officially declared Fiame and two colleagues - caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi and M.P. Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi - as having secured entry into Parliament.)

Ioane said he nonetheless wished all candidates the best of luck for Friday.