During the previous Samoan general election in 2001, the incumbent HRPP won 23 seats but fell short of a majority to form a government.

The ruling party pledged to proceed with developing roads, schools and the overall education system and tourism by upgrading hotels and advances in agriculture, specifically in crops and livestock.

The party also emphasised Cultural preservation and vowed to construct more sports venues for the upcoming South Pacific Games.

[1] The SDUP pledged to remove the Value Added Goods and Services Tax from essential food items, which they said was the cause of a price hike.

This strike arose after the HRPP government began to implement a 42% salary increase for civil servants, which was to occur in a series of phases over three years but declined to raise wages for individuals in the health care sector.

The Christian party, whose executives were solely composed of women, sought to promote development in all sectors of Samoan society.

"[11] The Samoa Progressive Party ran a single candidate, former cabinet minister Toalepaiali'i Toesulusulu Siueva Pose II.

He gained international attention as auditor-general after exposing widespread corruption within the HRPP government during the tenure of former prime minister Tofilau Eti Alesana.

[14] The SP promised to combat corruption by implementing a two-term limit for the premiership and restoring the autonomy of watchdog institutions as part of a "good governance" agenda.

SDUP leader Le Mamea Ropati criticised the government for the date modifications and questioned if they intended to have an election at all.

[18] Prime minister Tuilaʻepa proposed in January 2006 the introduction of a residency requirement of at least three years to be eligible to vote, which only applied to candidates at the time.

Le Mamea dismissed the proposal as a "ploy" to undermine Samoan voters in other countries, which he said primarily backed the SDUP.

[1] However, results in the Fa'asalele'aga 3 constituency produced a tie between the top two candidates, incumbent member Unasa Mesi Galo of the HRPP and the SDUP's Tofa Eteuati Si'itia, both with 356 votes each.

[31] Tuilaʻepa denied these assertions and attributed his party's landslide victory to economic growth, as well as an alleged flawless record of improving the standard of living.

He also stated that the opposition parties "had themselves to blame" for failing to attain more seats and said that the SDUP's attack strategy did not bode well for voters.

The petitioner, Samoa Party leader Su'a Rimoni Ah Chong was also convicted of bribery for giving someone money and a television set.