-Democracy International describes Nimba, District 4 rerun
The Democracy International (DI) team that observed the re-run in Beo Lontuo in Nimba County District 4 found that the election process complied with NEC procedures and was peaceful. Just over 600 Liberians cast ballots on October 20, 2023, after the National Elections Commission re-ran all three Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives elections at this location.
With significant security at the two polling places, elections were repeated because two ballot boxes were stolen and destroyed by members of the public, and other ballots were damaged on October 10, 2023. DI covered the day of voting, the counting, transport to the magistrate’s office, and the tallying the next day. DI noted the pres- ence of domestic observers from ECC and LEON and USAID international observers. DI saw party agents from four political parties fielding candidates in this district’s polling stations.
As in its October 14, 2023, preliminary statement following Election Day, DI commended the Liberian people for their high turn-out at 78.86% of all registered voters, placing Liberians in the top bracket of voter participation in the continent. Contrary to criticisms in the media, DI notes that the rate of invalid votes of 5.88% is in line with the average set by the African Union and matches the 2017 first round of voting in Liberia. Final results are ex- pected from the National Elections Commission at its Daily Press Briefing on October 24, 2023, and on https://re- sults.necliberia.org/.
DI observers have attended all NEC press briefings in person. As part of its assistance to the National Elections Commission, with the generous support of the American people through USAID, DI provides sign-language interpretation as part of the live televised coverage. With the UNDP and its partners, DI has also provided copies of a broad array of important NEC documents at these events.
DI again congratulates the National Elections Commission and its poll workers for their professional delivery of these elections, despite the many challenges of doing so. DI observed firsthand the Commission’s and its staff’s work and researched Liberian opinion immediately before and after the October 10, 2023, Election Day. DI con- ducted radio listener surveys in nine counties: Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Maryland, Nimba, and Sinoe – one September 27-30, 2023, in all nine, and another October 12-14, 2023, in all but Lofa and Maryland.
Preliminary findings from these surveys indicate: Democracy International, Inc. ▪ 7600 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1010 ▪ Bethesda, MD 20814 USA Phone: +1.301.961.1660▪Fax: +1.301.961.6605▪www.democracyinternational.com
• Nearly every caller reported hearing civic voter education on the radio station (88–100%). These findings match another radio survey conducted independently by Geopoll during the pre-election period that deter- mined that 54% voting public in Liberia is “very much informed” about the elections1.
• In DI’s radio survey, conducted by talk show hosts with the highest listenership on those community sta- tions, of those who heard CVE, 19.1% of listeners could provide the content of that message and attribute it directly to DI or a DI grantee unprompted.
• Both before and after Election Day of those calling into the radio stations to participate in the surveys, the majority assessed the NEC’s performance as either “very good” or “fairly good.”
• In the post-election survey, all respondents indicated they had voted, and the majority reported their elec- tion-day experience as “good”.
• Still with a majority response but the lowest from across the seven post-election stations, 57% of the Grand Cape Mount listeners reported their Election Day experience as “good,” and 71% in that same county gave the NEC ratings of “very good” or “fairly good.”
Alongside other observers and partners supporting the National Elections Commission and democracy stakehold- ers in Liberia, DI will contribute its full findings and participate in lessons learned following these elections. To- gether with UNDP and its partners, DI’s Elections and Democracy Activity – funded by USAID – supported NEC’s twelve trainings of trainers (ToTs) for political party and candidate agents – including providing the sign language interpretation training tool – and six tactile ballot trainings to people living with hearing and sight im- pairments, again providing sign language interpretation.
On October 10, 2023, DI deployed 25 observers to six counties (Bomi, Bong, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Mont- serrado, and Nimba) in 19 of the country’s 73 electoral districts. The observation continues to demonstrate inter- national support for the Liberian people in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The mission also contributes to DI’s ongoing work in Libe- ria, including with the National Elections Commission and the Election Coordinating Committee, a leading Libe- rian election observation group. DI works closely with Liberian organizations to encourage greater participation of marginalized groups, including women and youth, and deliver voter education nationwide.
DI is organizing this mission in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, declared at the United Nations in 2005.
The Elections and Democracy Activity is a five-year, USAID-funded project designed to help Liberia overcome challenges facing its developing democracy by fostering inclusive, sustainable, democratic political development. Implemented by DI, EDA is cultivating a new cadre of accountable, diverse, inclusive leaders in Liberia to govern in the interest of their constituents as well as active, knowledgeable citizens that demand accountability.
EDA works with the Government of Liberia and civil society organizations to achieve this through three interrelated objectives:
(1) Increase leadership of marginalized groups in political processes,
(2) Improve civic knowledge and sense of civic duty, (3) Advance self-reliance of the National Election Commission and civil society organizations to inde-
pendently manage and observe all stages of the electoral cycle. Democracy International provides analytical services, technical assistance, and project implementation for de-mocracy and governance programs worldwide. Since its founding in 2003, DI has worked in 80 countries and has
conducted election observation missions and election assistance programs in Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Kenya, Indonesia, etc…
