The National Elections Commission (NEC) has officially announced that phase one of the biometric voter registration ended on Sunday, April 9, 2023 in six counties: Bomi, Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu, Margibi, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado, describing the process as “very successful”.
According to the commission, phase one was successful because Liberians, 18 years and above, turned out in great numbers, and were registered even with the initial glitches, technical problems and field challenges which the commission’s technical and administrative teams resolved on site.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the NEC, Davidetta Browne Lansanah, has urged residents in the remaining nine counties to be ready to participate in phase two of the BVR process, which starts on April 21, 2023 and ends on May 11, 2023.
Counties in phase two of the BVR are Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe and Rivercess. The NEC Chairperson disclosed that 1,015 registration centers will be open throughout the nine counties from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Sunday.
Chairperson Lansanah used the medium to appreciate NEC’s BVR staff for their commitment and dedicated service, and all Liberians above 18 for turning out in great numbers to register.
“The Commission extends appreciation to all Liberians in general, all stakeholders and actors, and international and regional communities for your numerous field observations and feedbacks to the commission on the BVR process,” she added.
She also extended appreciation to owners of facilities used as registration centers. “The NEC says ‘Thank you’ for your patriotism, and that the commission looks forward to the high-level cooperation from you for the pending general elections in October this year.
“The National Elections Commission appreciates the role of the joint security in responding and maintaining peace, which allowed the BVR to proceed in targeted communities. The commission thanks the Government of Liberia (GOL) for its continuing stride to fund voter registration, as was recently done.”