election

Voters will have four parties, and a movement calling for a collegial approach to government, to choose from.

Cook Islands politics has been dominated for years by the Cook Islands Party led by the current Prime Minister Mark Brown - a man who is very confident of holding on to power.

He believes his government has done a very good job keeping the country together in very trying circumstances over the past two or so years.

There are 69 candidates in all contesting the poll, and one, marine scientist Teina Rongo, hopes this election will be third time lucky for him.

It means the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) now has 24 seats with FAST on 26 and a by-election to come.

The court ruled the re-elected HRPP MP for Sagaga No.2 constituency, Seiuli Ueligitone Seiuli, guilty of 13 bribery and two charges of treating.

The court also found the petitioner and former HRPP MP who ran in the general election as an independent, Mauailaivao Patelesio Ah Him, guilty of 10 bribery and one treating charges.

There will now be a by-election in Sagaga No.2 and both the petitioner and respondent have been barred from running.

Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II on Tuesday announced he would revoke the results of the general election held on 9 April, and Samoans would return to the polls on 21 May.

"I am assured that as head of state, I am able to call fresh elections where after a general election there is no clear majority to call a government and where it is clear that it is in the public interest to do so," he said at a news conference.

For the uninitiated, voters in Samoa went to the polls last week (Friday 9^th). Preliminary results have the HRPP and the Fa’atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party locked at 25 members each. Independent MP Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio has emerged as the likely kingmaker to form a government in the 51-member parliament.

The French territory has had a caretaker administration since August.

The French High Commissioner Thierry Lataste has summoned the new government ministers to elect a president in order to give New Caledonia a properly constituted government ahead of key referendum talks in Paris next week.

The only candidate so far, Philippe Germain, has been unsuccessful in getting majority support from the 11-member government.

While the pop star lives in California, he flew home to Tennessee to take advantage of early voting in his hometown of Memphis.

Timberlake, who also owns property in Nashville, wasn't wearing a "Suit & Tie," but he still looked pretty adorable in the selfie he posted on Instagram of him about to cast his ballot Monday.

"Hey! You! Yeah, YOU! I just flew from LA to Memphis to #rockthevote !!! No excuses, my good people!," the singer/actor wrote in his post. "There could be early voting in your town too. If not, November 8th! Choose to have a voice!"

Radio New Zealand International reports electoral officials will meet with the Head of State, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, at 3pm today, to get his endorsement of the results, after which the final results can be made public.

Preliminary results have the ruling HRPP with 44 of the 49 seats.

Faaulusau Rosa Duffy Stowers is one of the only two candidates nominated for Gagaifomauga number 3.

She will be running against the Parliamentary speaker, La'auli Leuatea Polataivao next week.

The speaker is challenging her candidacy in court.

This was confirmed by the Ministry of Justice senior Registrar Ve’a Fa’atasi.

The challenges are on the eligibility of the candidates through their services – monotaga – to the villages or districts they are standing for next month’s general elections.

The first case mentioned in Court today, was the challenge by Fiame Naomi Mata’afa against Fiaola Iosua Lole who is the only other candidate challenging Fiame for the Lotofaga constituency. The claim against Fiaola is based on a previous traffic conviction.