At stake in this election:

• 49 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Fono)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Chief Susuga Tanumafili II MALIETOA
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
• Assembly: Samoa has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) with 49 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The Chief is hereditary*
• The Prime Minister is appointed by the chief with the approval of the Fono.
• In the Legislative Assembly (Fono), 47 members are elected from village-based electorates to serve 5-year terms and 2 members are elected by independent voters with no village affiliation to serve 5-year terms.

* The monarch is hereditary. Upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP)
  • Leader: TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi
  • Seats won in this election: 23
  • Seats won in last election: 24
• Party: Samoan National Development Party (SNDP)
  • Leader: TUPUA Tamasese Efi
  • Seats won in this election: 13
  • Seats won in last election: 11
• Party: Samoa United People Party (SUPP)
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent(s): Independents
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 12
  • Seats won in last election: 13

Last Parliamentary election:

• Parliamentary elections last held: April 26, 1996.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 175,567 (2001)
• Registered Voters: 93,213 (March 2001)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 84,194 (2001)

·         Is Samoa a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Samoa ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (25 September 1992)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 3 (following the 2001 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 105 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Samoa a signatory to CRPD: Yes (24 September 2014)

·         Has Samoa ratified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: 26,335 (est.)