Samoa General Election 2025 - What You Need To Know To Vote

Samoa is once again gearing up to hold elections on 29 August 2025, but many diasporic Samoans are keen to have their voices heard this time round.

Typically, general elections in Samoa are held every five years to elect Members of Parliament (MPs), who then form the government. 

So why the early election this time?

Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa had warned that she would dissolve Parliament if her 2025/26 national budget was not approved. On 27 May 2025, Parliament voted down the budget by a margin of 34–16

Following the defeat, she formally advised the Head of State to dissolve Parliament—this was then motioned on 3 June 2025.

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What does this mean for voters?

The same requirements for eligibility to vote apply regardless of the time. Voters from other countries must come back to Samoa to finish their biometric registration by July 4, 2025, and Samoan citizens who are 21 years of age or older must register by then. The only way to vote is in person.

Both the government and opposition parties have less time to campaign and run for office under a full five-year mandate because of the early election, which also results in a shorter parliamentary term.

The upcoming 29 August 2025 election will be a pivotal moment, one that continues to shape the post-2021 political landscape of Samoa.