-NEC reports huge invalid votes in the October 10 elections
It’s unarguably a proven fact there is a significant need for more Civil Voter Education in the pending runoff election, as the just ended October 10, 2023, general elections suddenly left a high number of invalid votes.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has reported that out of the total 1,947,780 votes cast (99.93% of the total), a staggering 114,597 were invalidated, accounting for 5.8% of the total, while 1,833,189 votes were deemed valid (94.1%). Remarkably, invalid votes, at nearly 6%, outstrip all other candidates in the presidential race, except the top two contenders.
The high number of invalid votes continues to draw attention from media, political parties, and international observers.
In response, the Board of Commissioners of the NEC has announced its intention to launch an investigation into the recurring issue of high numbers of invalid votes in post-war elections.
When asked if this could be attributed to limited civic education efforts, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Brown-Lansanah explained that several community-based organizations (CBOs) were contracted across Liberia to conduct civic education.
The high percentage of invalid votes in Liberia’s post-war elections and referendums has been an ongoing concern. In the 2020 national referendum, over 60 percent of the total votes were invalid. In the 2017 presidential and legislative elections, around five percent of the votes in the first round of the presidential elections were invalid.
Another issue was the poor visibility at polling centers, with some polling stations inadequately lit during early morning and afternoon hours. This required voters to use their phones or flashlights to mark their ballots behind the voting screens, raising concerns about incorrectly marked ballots.
Patricia Dweh, a voter at the Mt. Carmel School precinct in the GSA Road Community, District #6, Montserrado County, voiced her difficulties, especially for elderly voters with weak eyesight.
While the high number of invalid votes cannot be altered, calls have been made for the NEC to conduct comprehensive civic voter education in future elections to prevent such recurrences. Additionally, the NEC should ensure that ballot papers are user-friendly, and voting locations are adequately equipped for a smooth voting experience.
