-NEC Reports Late Openings, Relocations, and Tensions—But….
By Shallon S. Gonlor
SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba County – Liberia’s pivotal Nimba County Senatorial By-election faced logistical disruptions—including locked polling centers, relocated voting sites, and brief tensions—but without major violence, the National Elections Commission (NEC) confirmed Tuesday.
Despite assurances of a smooth process, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah acknowledged at least seven incidents across multiple districts, forcing officials to improvise with tents, churches, and unfinished buildings to keep voting on track.
Madam Browne Lansanah confirmed voting was delayed at several locations, including Messiah Christian Academy in District #1, where a locked school over unpaid precinct fees required security intervention, while tensions flared at Geolando Public School when party agents demanded public voter roll checks before officials restored order.
Some polling stations were hastily relocated—including a deroofed Venn Town Public School in District #8, where voting moved to a nearby church, and Tappita’s LDEA-occupied civil compound, where tents were erected to accommodate voters. Despite these challenges, Lansanah emphasized that all polling places ultimately opened, with extended hours to compensate for delays, as over 307,000 registered voters cast ballots to fill the seat left vacant by former Senator Prince Johnson.
The commission appealed to candidates and supporters to avoid disruptions, while the Liberia National Police maintained a visible presence at flashpoint sites. Polls closed at 6 p.m., with results expected within days.
