MONROVIA – Democracy International (DI) announced today that with USAID support it is again deploying its specialized observation mission by sending 22 observers to witness the 2023 Presidential run-off Elections in Liberia on November 14, 2023.DI observers will deploy to six counties (Bomi, Bong, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba) and anticipate visiting 21 of the country’s 73 districts.
Nearly two million Liberians voted on October 10, 2023, in the General Elections for President, Senate, and House of Representatives. With no candidates receiving the required 50% plus one to win in the first round, the National Elections Commission called a run-off for November 14, 2023, per constitutional provision.
This deployment follows DI’s successful observation of 25 accredited observers to 19 districts in six counties on
October 10, 2023, to monitor the first round and its deployment of three observers during the re-run conducted on October 20, 2023, in Beo Lontuo, Nimba. The Commission re-ran the election in two stations to address the theft and destruction of the presidential ballot boxes and damage to the other ballots in that polling place.
DI issued statements following these two deployments congratulating Liberians on their high turn-out (78.8%) – the vast majority of whom did so peacefully and with respect for the process – and commending the Liberian National Elections Commission and its 30,000-plus poll workers for their professional conduct. These achievements are significant given the challenges of mitigating environmental challenges, such as floods, and infrastructure conditions, including poor roads, limited or no electricity, and limited private and public building options to use as polling stations.
The Commission is to be particularly commended for doing so fully independently for the first time since the civil wars, having successfully introduced the country to Biometric Voter Registration earlier this year, lauded by independent voter roll auditors.
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