Paynesville – Heavy deluge of rain in some parts of the nation’s most populous county, particularly Paynesville, has slowed down election activities with voters abandoning the queues as the rain tumbles down.
At some precincts, polling staff were seen relocating voting materials including ballot boxes from tents put together with tarpaulins and sticks, as political parties and independent election observers keenly looked on.
“We can’t stay here with all these materials as you can see the rain is already coming down. All we can do is to find a place to carry to protect them from getting wet,” a polling staff, asking for anonymity told FrontPage Africa.
“This morning the weather was fine. And beside this is where we always erect these temporary shelters to carry out the process. But we were caught off guard. So, we have no choice but to leave.”
At the Baptist Field precinct in Duport Road, Paynesville, polling staff, election observers and voters all cramped in a small building while voting was ongoing.
An election worker, hurriedly carrying ballot boxes to safety was seen venting anger at a FrontPage Africa reporter for being photographed.
In a brief exchange with our reporter, he questioned why he was photographed without his consent, but the reporter responded that he was simply doing his job.
A first time voter, Abraham Sackie, expressed frustration over the disruption caused by the rain but said he was determined to stay until he casts his ballot.
“I am not happy with the delay that is being caused by the rain, but I will stay here until I vote, even when it gets dark” Sackie said.
Liberians are voting in a nation-wide special senatorial elections. In Montserrado County, there are several candidates contesting, but opinion polls show that incumbent Senator Darius Dillon of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and Rep. Thomas Fallah of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change are the two top candidates.