National Elections in Liberia, Fall 2017 Final Report
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ELECTION REPORT ✩ National Elections in Liberia, Fall 2017 Final Report ELECTION REPORT ✩ National Elections in Liberia, Fall 2017 Final Report One Copenhill 453 Freedom Parkway Atlanta, GA 30307 (404) 420-5100 www.cartercenter.org Contents Foreword . 4 Postelection Developments . 71 Executive Summary . 5 Tabulation . .. 71 Key Findings . 6 Results for House of Representatives and Conclusions . 11 First Round Presidential Election . 74 Electoral Dispute Resolution . 75 The Carter Center in Liberia . 13 Presidential Election Runoff . 81 Election Observation Methodology . 16 Runoff Campaign. 81 Historical and Political Background . 18 Runoff Preparations. 82 Electoral Institutions and Framework . 24 Runoff Election Day . 82 Legal Framework for the Elections . 24 Runoff Tabulation . 86 Key Issues in the Legal Framework Presidential Runoff Election Results . 87 for Elections . 27 Conclusions and Recommendations . 89 Electoral System . 33 Legal Framework Review . 89 Boundary Delimitation . 34 Electoral Dispute Resolution: Election Management. 35 Right to Due Process and a Fair Trial. .. 90 Pre-election Period . 37 Election Administration . 91 Voter Registration . 37 Candidate Nomination Period and Voter Education . 44 Campaign Finance . 93 Candidates, Parties, and Campaigns . 45 Appendices . 94 The Media . 54 Appendix A: Acknowledgements . 94 Participation of Women, Minorities, and Appendix B: Election Delegations and Staff . 95 Marginalized Groups . 56 Appendix C: Terms and Abbreviations . 99 Women . 56 Appendix D: Deployment Map . 100 Persons with Disabilities . .. 58 Appendix E: Statements . 101 LGBTI Community . 59 Appendix F: Election Observation Forms . 182 Ethnic and Religious Minorities . 59 Appendix G: Invitation to Observe . 215 Youth . 60 Appendix H: Elections and Runoff Results . 216 Civil Society . 61 The Carter Center at a Glance . .118 Civil Society and Election Observation . 61 Civil Society and Candidate Debates .. 62 Electoral Preparations . 64 Election Day . 66 Opening . .66 Polling . 67 Closing and Counting . 69 Foreword My grandfather, Jimmy Carter, first visited Liberia observation mission assessed key aspects of the in 1978, when he was president of the United electoral process, including the protracted dispute- States. The nation was a symbol of stability and resolution process. I was honored that The Carter economic progress in West Africa. Soon a devas- Center could support the Liberian people in their tating coup would result in decades of war and efforts, and proud to co-lead an international political strife that wreaked havoc and cost count- observation delegation alongside our vice president less lives. I first visited Liberia in 1997 as a part for peace programs, Jordan Ryan, who has consid- of the Carter Center’s first international election erable experience in peace building in Liberia, observation mission in the country. and two dynamic African leaders, H.E. Catherine The Carter Center has long been committed Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic for to waging peace in Liberia. We have supported the first round, and H.E. Dr. Aminata Touré of Liberia’s return to stability through conflict resolu- Senegal for the presidential runoff election. tion efforts and the restoration of the rule of law, Liberia’s new government, led by newly elected helped promote democratic elections and institu- President George Weah, faces enormous chal- tions, and trained mental health workers to treat a lenges. Deeply rooted corruption and patronage nation confronting enormous tragedies, including threaten the country’s fragile institutions; educa- the Ebola outbreak. As we have worked together, I tion and health sectors must be strengthened; and have been repeatedly inspired by the strength and the economy must be bolstered. We look forward resilience of the Liberian people. to working closely with the government and Liberia’s 2017 election represented a critical people of Liberia in meeting the challenges that test for the country’s democracy. For the first time lie ahead. in 70 years, Liberia had an opportunity to peace- Jason Carter fully transfer power from one elected president Chair, Carter Center Board of Trustees to another. The Center’s international election 4 Executive Summary Liberia’s 2017 elections represented a critical test Unity Party, whose presidential candidate was Vice for the country’s nascent democracy. The elec- President Joseph Boakai. The extended postelec- tions were the first that the National Elections tion legal process was unprecedented in Liberia, Commission (NEC) was to conduct fully indepen- and it revealed some of the complications that can dently, without large-scale international support. arise due to gaps in the legal framework regarding With incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the timeline and process to resolve electoral peti- who won elections in 2005 and 2011, no longer tions. As the process played out over the next eligible to be a candidate, the 2017 elections also month, Liberia’s political parties demonstrated posed the country’s first transfer of power from one an admirable commitment to the rule of law. The elected president to another in more than 70 years. Supreme Court eventually dismissed much of the The last time power changed hands peacefully complaint, and the second round was finally held between parties was more than a century ago. on Dec. 26. The elections were watched closely by the region and the world, and The Carter Center is honored to have deployed an observation mission. At the invitation of the NEC and the government Given the challenges, many Liberians viewed these elections with anxiety. Nonetheless, more of Liberia, The Carter Center conducted a than 2 million registered to vote, a 21 percent comprehensive long-term international observation increase over 2011. And, notwithstanding long lines at the polls and difficulties in identifying mission of Liberia’s 2017 presidential and their proper polling places, 75 percent of registered legislative elections. voters turned out to cast ballots on election day, Oct. 10, 2017. Overall, in spite of difficult circum- stances, the Liberian people displayed a remarkable At the invitation of the NEC and the govern- determination to participate in the elections and ment of Liberia, The Carter Center conducted a an abiding enthusiasm for the democratic process. comprehensive long-term international observa- When no presidential candidate won a majority tion mission of Liberia’s 2017 presidential and of the vote in the first round, the NEC announced legislative elections. The Carter Center deployed a runoff would be held in early November. Shortly pre-election assessment delegations to Liberia after the first round, Charles Brumskine — who in April 2016, July 2016, October 2016, and placed third in the presidential contest — filed a February 2017, which enabled observation of the legal complaint with the commission questioning voter registration process, and deployed a core the legitimacy of the result. His party was soon team of experts and long-term observers in early joined by several others, including the ruling August 2017. 5 Scott Umstattd The Carter Center Election Observation Mission Delegation I’m not sure about including this delegation photo. I thought I had deleted it from the earlier selection. I’m not sure why, but most of our African observers aren’t included here, and the photo doesn’t reflect our delegation’s diversity. For the Oct. 10 presidential and House of in 2005. When the ballots were counted, Ellen Representatives election, the Center deployed Johnson Sirleaf had become the first woman to be 50 observers from 17 countries. They visited 145 elected president in Africa, and she went on to polling stations in all 15 counties to observe voting win re-election in 2011. As the end of her second and counting. In a postelection statement released and final term neared, anxiety rose throughout the on Oct. 12, The Carter Center commended the country because of the lack of any peaceful transfer Liberian people for their enthusiasm and determi- of power in recent times. The 2017 elections nation to peacefully express their will at the ballot therefore represented an important challenge. box. The pre-election period was characterized by a Unlike the 2005 and 2011 elections, the polls peaceful campaign period and transparent prepara- were truly Liberian-owned with only limited inter- tions but hindered by logistical challenges. Overall, national technical support to the NEC and other while election day was peaceful, Carter Center institutions. The responsibility for security was offi- observers reported that at some polling precincts cially transferred from the United Nations Mission there was confusion that resulted in extremely in Liberia (UNMIL) to state authorities and the long lines and delayed the ability of some Liberians Liberian National Police (LPN) on June 30, 2016. to cast their ballots. For the Dec. 26 presidential Given the magnitude of these responsibilities, runoff election, The Carter Center again deployed the Center was pleased to note that national an observation team, with observers visiting 171 security forces across the country largely conducted polling stations in all 15 counties. their duties with professionalism, neutrality, and integrity. Key Findings Legal Framework Background The legal framework for Liberian elections requires Liberia spent the better part of the 20th century substantial reform in order to fully meet interna- under one-party rule and much