Conventional long form: American Samoa
Conventional short form: American Samoa
Abbreviation: AS
Etymology: the name Samoa is composed of two parts, "sa" meaning "sacred" and "moa" meaning "center," so the name can mean Holy Center; alternatively, it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology
History: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967
Amendments: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval in a referendum, and approval by the US Secretary of the Interior; amended 1971, 1977, 1979 (2017)
Chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)
Head of government: Governor Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA (since 3 January 2013)
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono
Elections appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)
Election results: Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA reelected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA (independent) 60.2%, Faoa Aitofele SUNIA (Democratic Party) 35.8%, Tuika TUIKA (independent) 4%
Description: bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of:<br />Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms)<br />House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms)
Elections: <br />Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)<br />House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)
Election results: <br />Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5%<br />House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5%
Highest courts: High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions); note - American Samoa has no US federal courts
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life
Subordinate courts: district and village courts
Name: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa)
Lyrics music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
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