The incumbent, GovernorTogiola Tulafono, who had held office since 2003, was term-limited and could not seek re-election.[2] Tulafono, who took office after the death of former governor Tauese Sunia, was elected to his first four-year term in 2004 and re-elected in the 2008 gubernatorial election.[3]
All elections and candidates in American Samoa are nonpartisan, though Faoa Aitofele Sunia is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Slightly less than 17,000 American Samoans were eligible to vote in the 2012 election.[4]
Utu Abe Malae, director of the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Utility Corporation and second placed candidate in 2008 gubernatorial election; announced candidacy on August 15, 2011, withdrew on October 10, 2011[12][13]
The gubernatorial ticket of Save Liuato Tuitele and Sandra King-Young filed a petition in September 2012 against four other campaigns questioning their eligibility to run in the election.[14] Tuitele and Young argued that the other four candidates had not resigned from their government jobs before beginning their political campaigns, as required by law.[14] The four candidates challenged by the Tuitele campaign were gubernatorial candidates Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga and Salu Hunkin-Finau, as well as lieutenant governor candidates Taufete'e Faumuina Jr. and Le'i Sonny Thompson.[15]
The case was heard by the High Court of American Samoa,[14] which turned down the petition allowing all candidates to remain in the election.[16]
Voters were asked "Should Article II, Sections 9 and 19 of the revised constitution of American Samoa be revised to give the Fono, rather than the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior, the power to override the Governors veto?"[18]
The proposal would involve amending two parts of the constitution:
Section
Existing text
Proposed text
Chapter II article 9 section 3
Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each house at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall be represented to the governor for his approval. If he does not approve it within 15 days, he shall send it together with his comment thereon to the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary of the Interior approves it within 90 days after its receipt by him, it shall become a law; otherwise it shall not.
Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each House at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall become law 90 days after the adjournment of the session in which it was repassed.
Chapter II article 19
An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed while an act required to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior only after its veto by the governor and so approved shall take effect no sooner than 40 days after its return to the governor by the Secretary of the Interior. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act.
An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act.
^Feagaimaalii-Luamanu, Joyetter (September 4, 2012). "Who's on the ballot?". Talanei. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
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