Editorial: The NEC Assures Of Credible October 10, 2023 General And Presidential Elections

THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS Commission (NEC) has called on all Liberians and stakeholders to refrain from dangerous and unfounded stories that have the propensity to not only undermine the credibility of the electoral process but also put employees of the NEC in harm’s ways and even threaten the peace. The NEC assured the Liberian people and stakeholders of free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections, falling on its records from past elections. “For the October 10, 2023 general elections, Liberians can rest assured that the NEC will do so as well,” the NEC underscored.

THE NEC CALLED on all Liberians registered to go to the polls on October 10 to vote, assuring that their votes will count. As part of enhancing transparency of the voting, counting and tally processes, the NEC urged all candidates, independent and those from political parties, to send their agents to the 5,890 polling places in the 2080 precincts to take account of the polling and counting of votes at those polling places. At the end of polling and counting, the NEC disclosed that agents of candidates and political parties will sign the record of the count, attesting to the accuracy of the process. At the polling place, the agents of the two parties/candidates with the highest number of votes in the polling place will be given copies of the record of the count.

“ADDITIONALLY, THE ANNOUNCEMENT of winners begins at the polling place when the record of the count is posted on the wall in the polling place, in full view of candidates and party agents and local, regional, and international observers.

“IT MUST BE noted that a copy of the results is put in an envelope known as TEE, which is sealed in the presence of all agents and observers. The TEEs are later transferred to the election magistrates’ offices where they are opened and tallied in full view of everyone, and all the results are sent electronically to the NEC Headquarters, where the results are announced, first preliminary as they come, and then the final results are announced,” the NEC stated.

THE COMMISSION ASSURED all Liberians, candidates, political parties, stakeholders, political actors and observers that the NEC is committed to ensuring that the necessary safeguards put in place for the conduct of the elections to which end the commission will announce the outcome of the votes from the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections in a credible manner.