1970 Western Samoan general election
General elections were held in Western Samoa on 7 February 1970. All candidates ran as independents, with voting restricted to matais and citizens of European origin ("individual voters"), with the matais electing 45 MPs and Europeans two. Following the election, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV became Prime Minister. Background A parliamentary debate on introducing universal suffrage was held on 27 March 1969. The motion by Letele Taneolevao Siaosi, the youngest member of parliament, would still limit candidacy to the 8,500 matais, but allow all citizens over the age of 21 (numbering over 30,000) to vote in elections. Prior to 1967 elections, the number of matais was increased significantly, as candidates seeking to increase their vote were able to bestow titles on people to create new matai. Following the elections, a law was introduced that prohibited conferring of a matai title on anyone younger than 21. Although Prime Minister Fiame Mata'afa had been in favour of universal suffrage during the 1954 and 1960 constitutional conventions, he opposed the motion, arguing that voters had approved limiting suffrage to matais in the 1961 constitutional referendum, which had been held under universal suffrage. Members of the Legislative Assembly voted 37–6 against the motion. Campaign Over