American Samoa Senate
Encyclopedia
The American Samoa Senate is the upper house
of the American Samoa Fono
. The Senate, like the lower
House of Representatives
, is a nonpartisan
body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.
Former senators:
, both state and territorial, that is not directly elected by the voting population. Instead, the Senate's voting franchise is strictly limited to the various chiefs of the islands.
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of the American Samoa Fono
American Samoa Fono
The Legislature of American Samoa or Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most state and territorial legislatures of the United States, it is a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate...
. The Senate, like the lower
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
House of Representatives
American Samoa House of Representatives
The American Samoa House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono. The House consists of 21 representatives serving two-year terms, with 20 popular elected members, and one representative elected by a public meeting on Swains Island....
, is a nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term.
List of Senators
- Utu Abe MalaeUtu Abe MalaeUtu Abe Malae is an American Samoan politician, banker and businessman. Malae was a candidate for Governor of American Samoa in the 2008 gubernatorial elections, finishing second in the runoff to incumbent Governor Togiola Tulafono....
(R) - Tulifua Lam Yuen
- Liufau Sonoma - deceased August 4, 2009
- Gaoteote Tofau, President of American Samoa Senate
Former senators:
- A.U. FuimaonoA.U. FuimaonoA.U. Fuimaono was an American Samoan politician and Paramount Chief who served as American Samoa's first Delegate-at-Large to the United States House of Representatives from 1970 until 1974. Fuimaono also served as the Governor of Western District, American Samoa on the island of Tutuila from his...
- Togiola TulafonoTogiola TulafonoTogiola Talalelei A. Tulafono is the Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as Lieutenant Governor, taking this position on January 3, 1997....
(D) - now Governor
Voting
The American Samoa Senate is the only legislature of its kind in the entire United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, both state and territorial, that is not directly elected by the voting population. Instead, the Senate's voting franchise is strictly limited to the various chiefs of the islands.