- Violators must pay prohibitive fines.
The conference committee of both house of Representatives and Senators has amended certain sections of the New Elections Law of 1986 and 2014.
The House’s action Tuesday during its 11th Day Special Sitting followed a Conference Committee of both the House and the Liberian Senate with key recommendations.
The Conference Committee agreed that candidates’ registration fees for the posts of President, Vice President, Representatives, and Senators remain at $5,000 for President, $3,500 for VP, Representative $500, and Senator $750, respectively, with no increments.
The Conference Committee agreed that the appointment of Magistrates is purely administrative and should be left with the Commissioner, but wants Magistrates to be rotated so as to avoid them getting involved in the County’s local politics.
The Committee says under Section 4.5(1)(c) of the New Elections Law (1986), as amended through 2014, which reads: A list of candidates for an election that is sent to the commission should try to have at least 30% of each gender on the list is hereby amended as follows: A list of candidates submitted to the Commission by a political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties for general legislative elections and mid-term senatorial elections must include at least thirty percent (30%) of candidates from each gender, according to a phased implementation process, as follows: (i) For the 2023 general legislative elections and the 2026 mid-term senatorial elections, the Commission shall return the list of candidates of a political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties that does not include a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of candidates from each gender, with the understanding that the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties may meet this threshold for gender participation in politics.
threshold.
The Conference Committee further agreed that in the event that the defaulting political party, coalition or alliance of political parties fails to submit a new list of candidates which complies with the threshold or re-submits the rejected list of candidates, the Commission shall accept the rejected list of candidates or the new list of candidates which does not comply with the threshold, provided that a fine of US$5,000.00 (Five thousand dollars) shall be imposed on the defaulting political party, coalition or alliance of political parties, to be paid into the treasury of the Liberia Revenue Authority within five (5) days from the imposition of the aforesaid fine.
It says failure to timely pay the fine and present a receipt for payment of the fine shall cause the Commission to absolutely reject the list of candidates submitted by the defaulting political party, coalition or alliance of political parties. Within six (6) months of Election Day, the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties shall present to the Commission a plan and/or program of action aimed at incentivizing gender participation in elections, with the goal of meeting the thirty percent (30%) minimum threshold of candidates from each gender in subsequent elections; and the Commission shall approve such a plan and/or program of action for implementation by the defaulting political party, coalition or alliance of political parties.
(ii) For the 2029 legislative elections and the 2032 mid-term senatorial elections, the Commission shall return the list of candidates of a political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties that does not include a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of candidates from each gender, with the understanding that the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties may meet this threshold for gender participation in politics threshold. If the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties fails, the Commission shall accept the rejected list of candidates or the new list of candidates that meets the threshold, provided that a fine of US $10,000.00 (Ten Thousand) is imposed on the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties and a receipt issued by the Liberia Revenue Authority within five (5) days of the imposition of the aforesaid fine. Failure to timely pay the fine and present a failure to produce a receipt for payment of the fine will result in the Commission rejecting the list of candidates submitted by the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties completely.
Six months after Election Day, the political party, coalition, or alliance that didn’t win will have to pay back the money. The political party shall present to the Commission a plan and/or program of action intended. The Commission shall approve such plan and/or program of action for implementation by the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties in order to meet the thirty percent (30%) minimum threshold of candidates from each gender in each subsequent election; and the Commission shall approve such plan and/or program of action for implementation by the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties.
(iii) for constitutionally mandated general legislative and mid-term senatorial elections
In elections after 2032, if a political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties fails to submit a list of legislative and senatorial candidates that includes at least thirty percent (30%) of each gender, the list of candidates will be rejected by the electoral commission.
However, the defaulting political party, coalition, or alliance of political parties may submit a new list of candidates that meets the threshold within the time prescribed by the Commission for submission of a list of candidates. (iv) Each year, especially during election years, a budgetary appropriation shall be made to be jointly administered by the Commission, the Inter-Party Consultative Council, and international development partners involved in Liberia’s electoral process for the purpose of investing in programs, projects, and activities to incentivize gender participation in politics.
