O Beautiful Day!

Polling Fale in Pago-This not an official government building.

Close Up Fale Polling Place (are those ballot boxes marked?)

Election Day in American Samoa was surreal. There has been a huge gubernatorial race, this person is basically the president here.

I think somebody called these Faafetai (thank you) tents-Vote and get a plate lunch that's been sitting around since yesterday! A little food poisoning with your democracy? Yes, thank you!

The governor has a lot of power over the people in charge of the different agencies on the island so even if one might take issue with the incumbent, job security might be your motivation on election day.

Interesting places to put up campaign propaganda.

There is a law on the books that legally Samoan's get two hours off in the day to vote. This didn't effect my work day too much but I'm curious how other departments faired.

Also there is no alcohol sold on election day until after the polls close at 6pm. By 6:30 pm we had heard on the raido that the first brawl had broken out at a polling place. That's some fast drinkin!

For some unknown reason the signs require lava-lavas.
Perhaps the exposed legs of the signs are considered unseemly.

Many villages here vote as a whole-though ballots are cast individually. Today, American Samoa did not awake to a new governor or a reelected governor. No candidates acheived the 50% plus one,popular vote. So a run off between the top contendors will take place Nov 18. This gives me high hopes that the monday before Veteran's day will be declared a holiday by da governor...

This house (I suspect they were paid by the candidates to fund their home renovations) supported ALL the gubernatorial candidates.

I thought this was an interesting quote from Samoa News, "The governor told supporters and committee members not to disrespect voters they suspect were supposed to vote for them but didn't. He said to always show a happy face and respect"

Yesterday was an anxious day for me. I had strong hope that Obama was our man, but having been burned four years ago-going to bed thinking the Democrats had won and awaking to a stolen election in the morning...I was not counting my chickens.

Obama is President!

We watched the final results coming through at the yacht club (we don't have cable and the only real-time results were on CNN). At 5pm the results were in! And we welcomed in a new era in America-while in American Samoa! Obama is our new President and there is new hope for our country. I think I'm actually feeling patriotic today! What a fabulous birthday present.