1973 American Samoan constitutional referendum
A constitutional referendum was held in American Samoa on 6 November 1973.[1] Voters were asked to whether they approved of a new constitution,[2] The new constitution provided for the direct election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, a doubling of the salaries for members of the Fono,[3] issuing government bonds to raise money, and decentralising some powers to counties and villages.[2]
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of American Samoa |
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As with the previous referendum in 1972, the proposals were rejected, with 34% in favour and 66% against.
Results
The new constitution was expected to be approved, but was rejected by nearly two-thirds of voters.[4]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 1,097 | 34.3 |
| Against | 2,097 | 65.7 |
| Invalid/blank votes | – | |
| Total | 3,194 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 6,435 | |
| Source: PIM | ||
Aftermath
An identical measure on directly electing the Governor would be put before voters two more times in 1974 and August 1976 until it was approved in November 1976.
References
- Samoans Turn Down New Constitution The New York Times, 11 November 1973
- Samoans reject constitution Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1973, p6
- Turning point for American Samoans Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1973, p21
- There were reasons enough why A. Samoans went conservative Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1974, p41
