The search for  Gagaifomauga No.2's new Member of Parliament is underway with voters turning up to cast their votes on the big island of Savai'i today.

With a roll of 2,031 eligible voters, the majority are expected to cast their votes today after 62 votes were placed on Wednesday during pre-polling. 

The seat for the constituency consists of the villages of Paia, Samauga, Lefagaoali'i, Matavai, Faletagaloa and Fatuvalu Safune. 

The Gagaifomauga No.2. seat was declared vacant after the sudden passing of the Member of Parliament, the late Vaele Iona Paiaaua Sekuini in March of this year. 

Vaele who was also the Associate Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Chairman of the Finance and Expenditure Parliamentary Committee won the seat in the April Election last year and only served as the M.P. for the constituency for 10 months.  

In just a few hours, a new M.P. for Gagaifomauga No.2 will be named. 

As of 11:00 this morning, a total of 823 voters had cast their votes. Polling is due to close at 3pm.

A total of 13 polling booths have been set up by the Office of the Electoral Commission (O.E.C.), three in Apia and ten in Savai'i. 

Four candidates are vying for the seat of Gagaifomauga No.2; two Independent candidates, Falesaopule Vaialia Iosua and Fo'isala Lilo Tu'u. 

The ruling Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party endorsed one candidate, Lomia Tauloa Moafanua while the Opposition Humanr Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) also opted to field one candidate, So'oalo Fineaso Poka. 

The preliminary count will be conducted today at the Stevensons Hotel in Manase, at the closing of all polling booths at 3 pm, with the official count to be held on Saturday morning. 

All the ballot boxes from Apia will be brought over to the big island for the official counting on Saturday.