Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has visited five voting precincts where voters have expressed anger that their names are not included in the Final Registration Roll (FRR) of the National Elections Commission.
In Logan Town, an FPA reporter toured the Elder John Massey school, Abendu Bentsi Elementary school, and St. Edwards Catholic school, where several people were being turned away while polling staff in some cases were strategizing whether they should allow people to cast their votes or not.
Many of those turned away have their photos on the RFF but their names are not, while in other cases names are erroneously recorded to the wrong photo on the roster.
Gladyl Dahn, 28, currently lives in Paynesville but had to return to District #15 to vote.
Although she was overzealous, her name wasn’t found on the FRR at the Abendu Bentsi Elementary school.
Theresa Kallon, 42, says she came at the center three times in search of her name but to no avail.
“I was surprised when they said my name was not there, even my two siblings have decided not to come back because we came and they told them that their names were not included,” she explains.
“I don’t know if the polling staffs are trained properly because this will turn out to low interest of voters in this by-election.”
There are two polling centers at the schools and voters are gradually arriving to vote.
At St. Edwards Catholic School, election workers say more photos are seen as compared to names on the FRR.
“This is a complete embarrassment to us because the voters are only insulting us and saying we are irresponsible and we don’t know sh**,” exclaimed one polling staff, who refused to mention his name.
“I think whatever in the FRR should have been corroborated with what printed at the entrances of polling stations.”
Francis Johnson, a polling staff at St. Edwards, said they were deciding if the voters would still cast their ballots.
“Our issue here is simple: some of the names have a missing letter so if your name is Brown Wesseh and your last name has g at the end of Weah polling staff will grant you access to vote,” Johnson said.
Voters in District # 15 are voting for two candidates, Representative and Senator after the deaths of Representative Adolph Lawrence and Senator Geraldine Doe Sheriff both of Montserrado County.