-ECC reports on Tuesday’s polls
By Jerromie S. Walters
Following the conduct of the October 10, 2023, legislative and presidential elections- the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) says despite the peaceful conduct of voting, the process was characterized by several challenges.
At a midday news conference Tuesday, October 10, 2023, the elections observation body says – “There were reports of isolated tension at polling places due to challenges in the proper management of queues resulting from overcrowding in someprecincts. In Sinoe electoral district 02, a center did not open as of 9 am.”
According to the ECC observer, the truck transporting the materials was stuck on the way. “NEC officials attempted to fix the problem by transferring the materials to motorbikes, but the ballot papers ended up getting wet.”
“The ballots for the precinct were damaged, but other sensitive materials were at the time available. Later, 200 ballots werebrought in by NEC officials to start the process but party agentsobjected to the use of the 200 ballots and recommended that the situation be handled properly.” Also in Sinoe, ECC tells the media that it observers reported that ballot boxes arrived by 11:30 in Nyafuel Town affecting many voting centers in that location. “The ECC observers could not ascertain the center codes because they were at the time not labeled by the NEC.”
“Grand Bassa Electoral District 04: a precinct experienced delayed opening due to the late arrival of voting materials. When the ECC observer contacted the NEC’s Magistrate, he could not provide clear candidate reasons for the delayed opening. However, voters waiting in the queue remained calm.” In the same district in Grand Bassa County, at the Sam Town Palava Hut with code 09026 in polling places 1 &2, the electoral observers say ballot boxes were reported covered with plastics due to the lack of a proper cover. “In Montserrado Electoral District #2, at the St. Francis School with code 30227. The ECC observer present reported the absence of security personnel and the lack of proper queue control; voters were reported forcing their way into the polling place resulting in tension.”
Similarly, in electoral district 4 Montserrado county, at a polling place- two of NEC staff were not present at the openingresulting in delayed voting. “At another center in Rivercess electoral district 01, a center experienced delayed opening due to the absence of NEC staff who were stuck across a flooded bridge, thereby blocking access to the location. The ECC continues to monitor the process and will have more information in future updates.”
With this, the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) urges the National Elections Commission (NEC) to take quick action to ensure that voting materials get delivered to all polling places.The commission is also urged to provide clarity on procedures for polling places that experienced delayed openings. “The ECC calls on the Joint Security Apparatus to remain vigilant inaddressing any tension that may arise at voting precincts, thereby
preventing its escalation.” The Committee also encourages Political parties’ agents and observers to remain deployed throughout the day until the results are counted and posted. “All Liberian voters and citizens should continue to remain peaceful as the voting progresses.”
Moreover, ECC says 98% of ECC observers were permitted to access and observe at their polling places. ECC observers were however not allowed in certain
locations to use their phones as a result of the NEC’s directive that no phones are allowed in the polling place. “By 6:00am, 93% of all ECC Observers were at their assigned polling
places and in 94% of those places, found the NEC polling officials to
be present. Queues of voters outside the voting precinct at 6:00 am were reported
in 93% of observed locations.
ECC observers reported that voting generally commenced on time
Opening (before 8:15 am) in 94% of the observed polling places, 4% of poling places opened with a slight delay between 8:15 and 10 am; however 2% of polling places were still not open at 10 am. Opening delays and disturbances were mainly caused by logistical challenges and late delivery of voting materials.”
The Committee says the late delivery of material necessary for voting was observed in a few instances mostly in Grand Bassa, Sinoe and Rivercess counties leading to a relatively late opening of polling places. However, ECC says the majority of pollingplaces observed had the required sensitive voting materials, including the FRR, ballot papers, indelible ink to curtail multiple voting and the accounting forms. “Nonetheless, ECC observers reported the absence of the tactile ballot guide for visually impaired voters who would turn out to vote in 11% of observed polling places.”
“In 67% of observed polling places, five or more NEC staff were present during set-up. Around 48% of the polling staff were women at observed polling places. ECC commends the NEC for giving women the opportunity to serve.” ECC says it observers also reported that, in 37% of observed polling places,voters need to use stairs to access the polling area, which potentially poses a challenge to persons with disabilities or the elderly.
The midday update is based on reports that the Elections Coordinating
Committee (ECC) has received from 1,159 out of the 1,200 (96%). Stationary
Observers deployed to their polling places nationwide as of 2:00 pm on
October 10, 2023. The report focuses on the set-up and opening of polling places. Percentages
reported reflect percentages of polling places observed by the ECC observers who are proportionately distributed across electoral districts of the country as a whole, and do provide credible data on national trends.
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) is Liberia’s largest domestic election observation network with diverse competencies, experiences, and expertise in democracy, elections, and governance established since 2010. ECC’s members include the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG); Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP); Center for Conflict
Prevention and Peacebuilding (CECPAP); Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD); Naymote Partners for Democratic Development (NAYMOTE-PADD); West ÁfricaNetwork for Peace Building (WANEP), and the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL).
The ECC has deployed 1592 trained and accredited observers, including 1200 poling place observers, 300 mobile observers, 73 electoral district supervisors and 19 county coordinators covering all 73 electoral districts of the country. Of these, 1200 are proportionately deployed based on the national distribution of polling places within each electoral district.
