Monrovia – Liberians will go into the October 2017 elections with a challenge of choosing one individual out of twenty, to be Liberia’s next President and one out of twenty to be their next Vice President.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
They will also have to choose 73 out of 986 to fill the vacancies created in the House of Representatives.
In keeping with Article 2.9 (K) and (S) of the new elections laws of Liberia, the National Elections Commission (NEC) Friday, June 28, 2017 announced the final figures from the voter Registration exercise which took place from February 1 to March 14 2017.
During the NEC announcement the Commission announced that a total number of one thousand twenty eight (1,028) aspirants have registered, 20 of which are Presidential aspirants and 20 Vice Presidential Aspirants.
Of the number the NEC Chairman Jerome Korkoyah also told journalists that nine hundred and eighty-six (986) are representative aspirants.
In a further breakdown of the figures male aspirants accounts for eight hundred and sixty-five while female aspirants accounts for one hundred and sixty-three. Nine hundred and twenty-nine aspirants are running on political parties tickets while ninety-nine are independent candidates.
In further statistics the NEC announced that a total of two million, one hundred and eighty-three thousand, six hundred and eighty three (2,183,683) persons registered to vote. Of that number, per county, Montserrado and Nimba Counties recorded the highest.
According to the records registrants per county include; Bomi County (61,171), Bong County (208,150), Gbapolu County (48,669), Grand Bassa County (145,798), Grand Cape Mount County (65,800), Grand Gedeh County (63,495), Grand Kru (35,506), Lofa County (167, 555), Margibi County (154,328), Maryland County (57,344), Montserrado County (777,503), Nimba County (279, 572), River Gee (35,240), Rivercess (35,600) and Sinoe County (47,952).
The Elections Commission record also shows that that the overall number and percentage of male and female voter registrants are; Male (1,120,950) which account for 51% and Female (1,062,733) which accounts for 49%.
Interestingly first time voters accounts for 108,485 as average age of all registrants is 35 years.
Political campaigning
Chairman Korkoyah in further statements announced Monday July 31, 2017 as the day set for the commencement of political campaigning which ends on October 8,2017. He urged political parties and their leaders to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner.
In an effort to avoid clashes during the campaign, the NEC and the LNP have asked all political parties and independent candidates to submit their campaign schedule to the commission.
Also, in order for parties to account for funds received and expended on their campaign, the commission, with assistance from USAID through IFES has organized a series on campaign finance training to enable political parties and candidates to report accurately and on time.
The NEC chairman also announced that replacement of lost/damage cards which was initially scheduled to take place between July7-12, will now be held from august 7-12, 2017.
According to him the adjustment was necessary to allow time for a thorough review of the voters roll.
The replacement of lost /damage cards will be held in 99 centers across the country.
“There will be one replacement center in each electoral district, one at each of the 19 magisterial offices and one in each of the seven shared electoral districts.”
Shared electoral districts are those located in two magisterial areas.
The shared districts are in: Montserrado County districts 11 and 13, in Bong districts 2, 3, and 4, district 3 in Lofa county and in Nimba County is district 7.
