18 Sep 2004

American Samoa election office says not trying to sway voters

8:32 am on 18 September 2004

The Election Office in American Samoa is disputing claims that staff have been canvassing would-be voters coming to the office to register.

A spokesman for one of the gubernatorial teams alleged that three young people who went to the Election Office this week claimed that the employee urged that they vote for a certain team.

But the Deputy Election Commissioner Filivaa Mageo says the allegations that Election Office staff are campaigning for their gubernatorial teams to voters, are absolutely false.

He says the employee who is targeted in the claims, works under his supervision and he can vouch that the worker has never tried to sway a voter.