‘Voting in Liberia needs a relook,’ says NEC Executive Director Anthony Sengbeh

Published: December 15, 2025

MONROVIA – A nine-member joint delegation comprising officials from the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC-Liberia), the Legislature, Law Reform Commission and UNDP-Liberia has concluded a strategic study tour to the Republic of Ghana.

The mission focused on examining Ghana’s electoral system, with particular emphasis on electoral reforms and boundary delimitation – areas from which Liberia stands to benefit significantly.

Upon his return to Monrovia, NEC Executive Director and Head of Secretariat, Mr. Anthony K. Sengbe, highlighted Ghana’s successful implementation of Early/Special Voting as a model worth adopting to enhance Liberia’s democratic process.

According to Mr. Sengbe, Ghana offers early voting to security personnel, journalists, electoral staff, and domestic election observers, allowing them to cast their ballots a week before the official election day.

This system enables these essential stakeholders to fully carry out their critical roles on election day without compromising their right to vote.

“By enabling these citizens to vote early, they can contribute effectively to making the election process more transparent and efficient, without conflicting with their duties on election day,” – Mr. Anthony K. Sengbe, Executive Director & Head of Secretariat, NEC-Liberia.

Mr. Sengbe emphasized that adopting early voting in Liberia would give professionals in these categories the flexibility needed to support the electoral process more effectively.

He underscored their importance in maintaining the integrity of elections: security personnel safeguard the process, the media ensures transparency through coverage, election workers manage operations, and observers serve as watchdogs to promote fairness.

The Executive Director also pointed to Ghana’s implementation of Absentee or Proxy Voting, which allows eligible voters to authorize someone else to vote on their behalf if they are unable to vote in person due to illness, disability, work obligations, education, personal reasons, or residence abroad.

In Ghana, a proxy voter may cast a ballot for only one person per election.

A proxy must be a registered voter and once a proxy is appointed, the original voter cannot vote in person on election day.

Proxy appointments may be cancelled before election day through formal notification to the Electoral Commission.

Mr. Sengbe believes a similar system would enable Liberians living abroad or those facing legitimate challenges on election day to participate meaningfully in the electoral process.

He noted that introducing proxy voting would broaden participation, particularly for the Liberian diaspora, making elections more inclusive and representative.

The study tour, supported by UNDP-Liberia, was designed to strengthen Liberia’s electoral framework by aligning it with effective regional best practices.

By observing Ghana’s systems firsthand, the Liberian delegation aimed to identify reforms that can address past challenges, improve voter confidence, and expand citizen participation – priorities that Mr. Sengbe strongly advocates.

Delegation Members from the NEC included:

Cllr. Ernestine Morgan-Awar, Commissioner

Mr. Anthony K. Sengbe, Executive Director & Head of Secretariat

Cllr. Alvin Teage Jalloh, Senior Legal Counsel

Madam Emma K. Togba, Deputy Executive Director for Operations,

Madam Deddeh M. Pusah, Director of Field Coordination.

From the Legislature and other Institutions:

Representative Thomas Romeo Quioh, Chairman, House Committee on Elections & Inauguration,

Representative Ellen Attoh-Wreh, Chairperson, Women Legislative Caucus,

Cllr. Ramese T. Kumbuyah, Executive Director, Law Reform Commission

Mr. Zage Filiposki, Capacity Strengthening Specialist, UNDP Liberia.