General elections were held in Western Samoa on 21 February 1976. All candidates ran as independents and voting was restricted to Matai and citizens of European origin ("individual voters"), with the Matai electing 45 MPs and Europeans two.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p782 Following the election, Tupuola Efi became prime minister.
Background In the aftermath of the previous elections held in 1973, parliament elected Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II to another non-consecutive term as prime minister, defeating the incumbent Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV and challenger Tupuola Efi. Fiamē served as Western Samoa's head of government until his death two years later in 1975. The O le Ao o le Malo (head of state) Malietoa Tanumafili II appointed Tupua Tamasese to serve as acting prime minister until the next election.Tupuola Efi dispels a myth and upsets a Samoan tradition Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1976, pp29–30
Campaign A total of 169 candidates contested the 47 seats. Four seats had only one candidate, who was returned unopposed.Campaigning at the bar Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1976, p75
Results Of the 36 incumbent MLAs contesting the elections, only 14 were re-elected. Ministers Alfonso Philipp and Fepuleai Samuelu were amongst those losing their seats.
Aftermath The election result in Fa'asaleleaga No. 4 where I'iga Suafole had won by one vote was overturned following a petition by runner-up Mulitalo Siafausa, who claimed that unqualified voters had participated in the election. The Supreme Court annulled one vote for Suafole, and a by-election was ordered for the seat.One lousy vote! Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1976, p11
Following the elections, the Legislative Assembly elected Leota Leuluaiali'i Ituau Ale as Speaker. In the contest for prime minister, Tupuola Efi defeated the incumbent Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV by 31 votes to 16, becoming the first prime minister not to hold one of the four Tama-a-Aiga titles. Efi appointed a nine-member cabinet, while Lealofi resigned from the Assembly and was elected to the Council of Deputies.
PositionMinisterPrime MinisterTupuola EfiMinister of AgricultureFuimaono MimioMinister of CommunicationsTofaeono TileMinister of Economic AffairsAsi EikeniMinister of EducationLilomaiava NikoMinister of FinanceVaovasamanaia FilipoMinister of JusticeUlualofaiga Talamaivao NikoMinister of LandsMano TogamauMinister of WorksLetiu Tamatoa
See also List of members of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa (1976–1979)
References