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House bill gives clergy absentee voting rights
Thursday,
May 1, 2008
The House of Representatives is not letting up on giving church ministers the right to vote absentee in local elections.
Today four representatives sponsored a bill identical to one which was introduced and then tabled in the Senate to allow clergy who are registered voters but have been assigned to overseas ministries to cast ballots by mail. The House is calling a hearing on the bill tomorrow at which Chief Election Officer Soliai Tuipine will testify. Soliai told a Senate hearing earlier this week that his office needs more time to review the bill. He said that he stopped faifeau from voting absentee in local elections when he became Chief Election Office because the law did not allow this. The sponsors of the House bill are House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale, vice speaker Savali Talavou Ale, Reps Laolagi Vaeao and Akapo Mase Akapo. The Senate voted yesterday to table it clergy bill until the fourth regular session in July.
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