Edmund Beardsley Underwood (1853 – April 12, 1928) was a Commodore in the United States Navy . Born in March 1853, at Humboldt Bay , in California , he was the son of U.S. Army Lieutenant Edmund Underwood and Mary Moore Beardsley. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1873. He was Commandant (and therefore Acting Governor) of American Samoa from May 5, 1903 to January 30, 1905. He retired in 1910.
13-569: As Governor of American Samoa , Underwood sought to eliminate communal land ownership. He founded a monthly newspaper, O Le Faatonu , which was distributed freely for fifty years, providing news about government activities and global events. As Governor, he also tackled the complex issue of land ownership between Tutuila and Upolu residents, who were separated from their lands. Together with Governor Wilhelm Solf of Western Samoa , Underwood attempted to address this problem through potential land exchanges and compensation, but they were unable to reach
26-635: A Deed of Cession for the Manuʻa Islands, signed by the Tuimanua and the Fatatui of Manuʻa. Shortly before the end of Underwood's tenure, the term "Governor" was officially designated as the title for the commander of the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila. This biographical article related to the United States Navy is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Governor of American Samoa This
39-755: A resolution. Governor Underwood visited the Manuʻa Islands in October 1903. During his visit, he discovered that the Tuimanua might agree to cede the Manuʻa Islands to the United States if the U.S. Navy would construct schools there. Seizing this opportunity, Underwood facilitated the provision of school materials to Tuimanua the following year. Edwin William Gurr , the Secretary of Native Affairs, successfully returned with
52-695: Is a list of governors , etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa ) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States . Since that time they have been elected for 4-year terms by the people of American Samoa. When the Department of the Interior sent four governors in a three-year period, local Samoans began advocating for choosing their own governors. In
65-506: The Interior began distancing itself from Haydon and soon replaced him with a new governor. The concept of an elected governor was proposed with Senate Bill 20 and a Gubernatorial Commission was created in order to consider ways to implement the concept of electing governors. In a 1977 article from the New York Times , it describes how opposition to an appointed Governor began with the appointment of Earl B. Ruth . Within eighteen months,
78-481: The United States [REDACTED] Politics portal v t e A referendum on direct election of governors and vice governors was held in American Samoa on 31 August 1976. Voters were asked to approve a proposal which permitted direct popular election of governors and lieutenant governors . Turnout was low, but higher than previously at 24%. At this referendum,
91-439: The congressman from North Carolina had removed several Samoans in administrative posts, who had been appointed by former Republican Governor John Morse Haydon . Governor Ruth was soon recalled to Washington, DC and was later quoted for having called Samoans "lazy, thieving liars." After having turned down the proposal to elect their own Governor in three plebiscites, American Samoans in a 1976 referendum overwhelmingly approved
104-515: The fourth time the same proposal had been put before voters, it was solidly passed and direct election of governors and their lieutenants began with the election the following year . Results [ edit ] Choice Votes % For 3,044 69.02 Against 1,366 30.98 Invalid/blank votes – Total 4,410 100 Source: Direct Democracy References [ edit ] ^ American Samoa, 31 August 1976: Direct election of
117-1969: The 💕 American Samoan ballot measure 1976 American Samoan electoral referendum [REDACTED] 31 August 1976 Do the people of American Samoa want an elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor? Results Choice Votes % [REDACTED] Yes 3,044 69.02% [REDACTED] No 1,366 30.98% Valid votes 4,410 100.00% Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00% Total votes 4,410 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 24.00% Politics of American Samoa [REDACTED] Executive Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga Lieutenant Governor Salo Ale Legislature Senate President House of Representatives Speaker Judiciary High Court Law and custom Constitution Faʻa Sāmoa Faʻamatai ʻAiga LGBT rights Faʻafafine External affairs Congressional delegate Amata Coleman Radewagen Nationality Visa policy Administrative divisions Western District Lealataua , Fofo , Leasina , Tualatai , Tualauta Eastern District Ituʻau , Maʻoputasi , Vaifanua , Sua , Saʻole Manuʻa District Ofu , Olosega , Taʻū , Faleasao , Fitiuta Swains Island Rose Atoll Elections 1970 , 2004 , 2006 , 2008 , 2010 , 2012 , 2014 , 2016 , 2018 , 2020 Gubernatorial: 1977 , 2004 , 2008 , 2012 , 2016 , 2020 U.S. Congress: 2008 , 2010 , 2012 , 2014 , 2016 , 2018 , 2020 Constitutional referendums: 1966 , 1970 , 1972 , 1973 , 1974 , 1976 (Aug) , 1976 (Nov) , 1978 , 1986 , 1990 , 2008 , 2010 , 2012 , 2014 , 2018 Political party strength Politics of
130-1785: The governor and the vice governor Direct Democracy (in German) v t e [REDACTED] Elections and referendums in American Samoa Gubernatorial elections 1977 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Legislative elections 1948 1950 1953 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 US House elections 1970 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Referendums 1966 1970 1972 1973 1974 1976 (Aug) 1976 (Nov) 1978 1986 1990 2008 2010 2012 2014 2018 2022 2024 Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1976_American_Samoan_electoral_referendum&oldid=1164756670 " Categories : Referendums in American Samoa 1976 in American Samoa 1976 referendums Electoral reform referendums 20th-century referendums Electoral system ballot measures in
143-457: The job just as good as the federal government, which until now had appointed governors to the islands. Soon local lawmakers such as Governor Owen Aspinall and H. Rex Lee favored the idea of locals being elected governors. On the other side was Governor John Morse Haydon , who openly opposed the idea. An administrative judge criticized Haydon and following a Pago Pago hearing, the Department of
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#1732891361884156-594: The late 1940s, a Navy Governor, as well as an Interior Governor, had expressed their beliefs that High Orator Chief Tuiasosopo would be a suitable governor. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Peter Tali Coleman as Governor of American Samoa, the first person of Samoan descent to occupy that role. Coleman, a member of the Republican Party , was a U.S. Army officer with a law degree from Georgetown University . After his presidential appointment, local residents became increasingly aware that Samoans can do
169-522: The measure in which allowed them to elect that official. The first popularly elected Governor was Republican Peter Tali Coleman that same year. Republican Te'o J. Fuavai was one of the earliest proponents of the movement to elect Governors in American Samoa, as opposed to Governors being appointed by the federal government . Fuavai sponsored a resolution that proposed the Department of the Interior to permit elections. January 2, 2025 1976 American Samoan electoral referendum From Misplaced Pages,
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