MONROVIA – The National Elections Commission (NEC) has raised concerns about reported incidents of party agents demanding polling staff to read out the names of voters before casting their votes. The Commission emphasized that this practice is in direct violation of polling and counting procedures, posing a potential threat to voter privacy and compromising the secrecy of the voting process.
The NEC expressed deep concern that such actions have the propensity to subject voters to undue scrutiny by unauthorized individuals, thereby jeopardizing the protection of voters’ rights. The Commission has called on all polling staff engaged in the practice of reading out voters’ names to cease immediately, stressing the importance of adhering to established procedures.
Moreover, the NEC has categorically denied and rejected reports suggesting the existence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with political parties regarding the calling of voters’ names and cross-referencing them against the Final Registration Roll (FRR). The Commission emphasizes that such a practice contradicts NEC polling and counting procedures and urges parties to refrain from engaging in this activity.
In a related development, the NEC addressed rumors circulating on social media concerning the alleged discovery of pre-marked ballots in Foya. The Commission unequivocally dismisses these claims as fake news and part of a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the electoral process and discouraging citizens from participating in the ongoing Presidential Run-off Election. The NEC asserted that it did not issue any instructions to pre-mark ballots, and all ballots deployed for the election remain intact.
The NEC called on all political party agents, electoral actors, and stakeholders to refrain from participating in illegal and disinformation campaigns. Such activities not only threaten the credibility of the electoral process but also have the potential to destabilize the peace and security of Liberia. The Commission has instructed its temporary staff conducting the polls to strictly adhere to the procedures outlined during their training for the Presidential Run-off Election.
