[7] Viliami Uasike Latu requested a recount in Vava'u, the constituency he contested, as he missed out on the second seat there by only 51 votes.

[9] About two weeks before the election, it was announced that the Tonga Broadcasting Commission would henceforth censor candidates' political broadcasts,[10] and that TBC reporters would be banned from reporting on political matters, allegedly because they lacked the necessary training for objective coverage.

[11] The decision was criticised by the Pacific Islands News Association, and New Zealand's Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne, commented that it was "unfortunate".

[14] Tongan MP Clive Edwards said that the TBC's decision was aimed at stifling criticism of the government in the lead-up to the election,[15] and to hamper the re-election chances of pro-democracy MPs.

[16] Pesi Fonua, head of the Tonga Media Council, said that the election "very much depends on how the candidates present themselves", and that censorship would "definitely have an impact".