The election occurred following amendments to the electoral act in 2009, including the introduction of the Monotoga law, a requirement for aspiring candidates to dedicate traditional village service and commitments.

As a result, three TSP aspiring candidates, including a challenger for the prime minister's seat, were disqualified by the Supreme Court for failing to satisfy this law.

Several successful candidates were later stripped of their seats by the Supreme Court due to electoral petitions, which included the TSP leader.

During the previous general election held in 2006, the ruling Human Rights Protection Party won a landslide victory, winning 33 seats.

The opposition Samoan Democratic United Party (SDUP) secured ten seats, and independents won the remaining six.

[6] In September 2009, the government switched the country from right to left-hand driving to enable less costly vehicle imports from Australia and New Zealand.

However, in 2009, speaker of parliament, Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua, declared their seats vacant and ordered by-elections to take place.

The speaker argued the TSP members had broken parliamentary protocol by joining a new party during the legislative session.

However, this prompted Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa to describe the TSP as a "headless monster" and he challenged the party to select a leader before the election.

In 2009, parliament amended the electoral act to include the monotoga law, a requirement for individuals to dedicate service to their respective villages to qualify as candidates.

Under United States electoral laws, voters can lose their right to vote if they cast a ballot in another country's election.

In December 2010, veteran politician Tuilagi Motutoa Vavae Leo II, a former deputy speaker and HRPP candidate, was convicted by the Supreme Court of attempted sexual assault, terminating his campaign.

The mayors in their respective villages had refused to sign their nomination forms due to their supposed failure to satisfy the monotoga law.

However, he also highlighted that the TSP declined to have any candidates from the ruling party disqualified, expressing, "we believe that anybody can run, [and] exercise their right to compete in the election.

He promised continuity in policies and drew attention to what he described as the government's major achievements in recent years: the election of the head of state; the development of infrastructure; economic growth, and the development of businesses and the private sector; a well-managed budget; the hosting of the 2007 South Pacific Games; the switching from right- to left-hand driving throughout the country and the government's response to the 2009 earthquake and tsunami.

For the future, the prime minister announced a broad range of policies to improve Samoans' health, including an increase in the number of locally trained medical staff, an increase in the number of hospitals, a policy of compulsory twice-a-year testing of all Samoans to detect cancer in advance, and the promotion of organic farming, along with a "bonus scheme" to reduce the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, to facilitate healthier diets.

The Value Added Goods and Services Tax would be abolished; pensions would be raised for the elderly; children below the age of 12 would receive free health care.

In the lead-up to the election, the Samoan police force conducted regular safety briefings, despite the lack of imminent threats.

[36] The Pacific Islands Forum, which sent a delegation to observe the electoral process, declared the election free, fair and peaceful.

[39] Final results showed the HRPP retained its majority, winning 29 seats, while the TSP secured 13 and independents won seven.

Among other new cabinet ministers was Le Mamea Ropati, a former opposition leader who led the Samoan Democratic United Party in the previous election cycle.

Among these individuals were opposition leader Vaʻai Papu Vailupe and the associate minister of natural resources and environment, Taua Kitiona Seuala.