CANDIDATE of the Friendly Island Democratic Party (FIDP)FalisiTupou has won the Tongatapu 9 by-election yesterday.
FalisiTupou won 745 votes with a margin of 262 votesfrom fellow candidate Seventeen Toumo’ua of Haveluliku who won 483 votes.
Dr. ViliamiFukofuka of Tatakamotonga came third with 469 votes, followed by SiaosiTu’ipulotu from 'Alakifonua with 254 votes, while 'EpeliKalemani from Fua'amotu, 199 votes; and Simana Kami of Lavengatonga with 119 votes.
Election Supervisor Pita Vuki this morning says of the total 2,969 registered voters who went to the poll in 14 polling stations throughout Tonga, 77 percent turned out to cast their vote yesterday.
Accordinig to Vuki this is a drop from 90 percent recorded in last year’s general election. But he somehow attributed this probably to people going out of the country.
Tupou of Tatakamotonga is Tongatapu 9 new MP to the Legislative Assembly, replacing late KaveingaFa’anunu who died in July this year.