Liberia’s Pivotal 2023 Elections: Early Leads and Obstacles

On October 10, 2023, Liberia held general elections with a close contest between Joseph Boakai and President George Weah.

This election is Liberia’s fourth after its civil war. Besides the president, people also voted for 15 senators and 73 representatives.

The National Elections Commission (NEC) shared results from 6.7% of the stations. Boakai has 57,862 votes, while Weah has 49,510.

Since there isn’t a strong third candidate, experts believe Boakai might win without a second round.

But, the election faced problems. Bad weather and poor roads caused delays. Southeastern Liberia even had flooding.

To solve this, NEC will set new voting dates in those regions. Groups like ECOWAS and the African Union support this. They helped ensure the election was smooth and fair.

Liberia also started using a biometric voter system. This system makes the voting process more trustworthy.

Yet, there were some issues. Some voters registered multiple times, and some polling stations had crowd problems.

While the final results aren’t out, some parties say they’ve won. Both the Unity Party and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change say they are ahead.

But, international groups like the U.S. Embassy tell them to wait for the NEC’s official results.

Background

Liberia, founded in 1822, was established by freed American slaves. The country declared independence in 1847, becoming Africa’s first republic.

Over the years, tensions grew between the Americo-Liberians and indigenous tribes. In 1980, a coup led by Samuel Doe marked a shift in power dynamics.

The late 20th century saw two devastating civil wars, deeply affecting the nation’s progress.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, elected in 2005, was Africa’s first female head of state. Her leadership marked a transition towards peace and reconstruction.

George Weah, a former footballer, took office in 2018, highlighting Liberia’s evolving political scene.