Counting centre for Samoa's snap general election Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii
Electoral officials will begin counting pre-polling and special general election ballots on Monday.
Officials will also recheck votes tallied on polling day last Friday.
Electoral Commissioner Toleafoa Tuiafelolo Alexander Stanley outlined the next steps in the country's general election process, with the sorting and counting of special votes to take place over the coming week.
On Friday, 430 polling booths were in operation across the country.
Each location was supplied with two boxes: one for ordinary ballots and a second one for special votes from constituents registered elsewhere.
Toleafoa said the special boxes were opened on Saturday under the supervision of scrutineers and the media.
Once the ballots were sorted into their respective constituencies, the boxes were resealed and placed in police custody.
The official count will begin on Monday and continue through to Friday.
This will cover pre-polling ballots, special votes and a review of polling-day counts.
Former prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa waits to cast her ballot at Lotofaga village. Samoa General Election. 29 August 2025 Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Preliminary results show Laʻaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt's Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) is leading, followed by Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP).
The two parties are followed by independent candidates, and then the caretaker Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa's Samoa Uniteed Party (SUP) party.
Official results are expected by the end of the week.
