Monrovia, Liberia – A statement regarding the observations made throughout the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections process was released by the Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON), which also urged the National Election Commission to operate effectively and efficiently during the counting and results tabulation period.
Pilate Johnson, a steering committee member, presented LEON findings from the election observation of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections and praised Liberians for the peaceful conduct of the polls at a news conference on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, in Monrovia.
“LEON congratulates Liberians on the peaceful and high turn-out during the exercise of their Constitutional right to vote and participate in democracy. LEON will issue a preliminary statement on the conduct of elections that includes findings on the counting process.”
He stated that the National Elections Commission’s (NEC) instructions were followed to the letter in the LEON observations. Adding that the election process was deemed to be “very good” by LEON’s observers who were present in all 73 electoral districts.
“Most of LEON’s observers, reporting from all 73 electoral districts, assessed the Election Day process as “very good” at approximately 66% or “good” at approximately 30% with a combined assessment of 96% considering the process as good or very good”.
Mr. Johnson clarified, however, that in order to enable the visually impaired to participate more completely in elections, LEON suggested that NEC keep enhancing its teaching techniques and placing a greater emphasis on their needs.
“Observers reported that queue controllers did not check for valid voter cards at approximately 7% of the time, identification officers did not tick voter names on the final registration roll at approximately 7% of the time, ballot issuers did not explain how to cast a ballot correctly approximately 9% of the time, and use of the tactile ballot by visually impaired voters was not explained at an alarming rate of approximately 11% of the time.”
