2017 Liberian general election explained
| Country: | Liberia |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Liberian general election |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2023 Liberian general election |
| Next Year: | 2023 |
| Module: | | Embed: | yes | | Election Name: | Presidential election | | Type: | presidential | | Election Date: | 10 October 2017 (first round)
26 December 2017 (second round) | | Turnout: | 75.19% (first round)
55.78% (second round) | | President | | Image1: | President George Weah in 2019 (cropped).jpg | | Nominee1: | George Weah | | Party1: | Congress for Democratic Change | | Alliance1: | Coalition for Democratic Change | | Color1: | 0c2399 | | Running Mate1: | Jewel Taylor | | Popular Vote1: | 732,185 | | Percentage1: | 61.54% | | Nominee2: | Joseph Boakai | | Party2: | Unity Party (Liberia) | | Running Mate2: | Emmanuel Nuquay | | Popular Vote2: | 457,579 | | Percentage2: | 38.46% | | Map Size: | 300px | | Before Election: | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf | | Before Party: | Unity Party (Liberia) | | After Election: | George Weah | | After Party: | CDC | | Alliance2 Name: | no | | Alliance2: | — | | Module: | | Election Name: | House of Representatives election | | Embed: | yes | | Seats For Election: | All 73 seats in the House of Representatives | | Majority Seats: | 37 | | Leader1: | George Weah | | Party1: | Coalition for Democratic Change | | Last Election1: | 14 | | Seats1: | 21 | | Percentage1: | 15.57 | | Leader2: | Joseph Boakai | | Party2: | Unity Party (Liberia) | | Last Election2: | 24 | | Seats2: | 20 | | Percentage2: | 14.32 | | Leader3: | Charles Brumskine | | Party3: | Liberty Party (Liberia) | | Last Election3: | 7 | | Seats3: | 3 | | Percentage3: | 8.57 | | Leader4: | None | | Party4: | People's Unification Party | | Last Election4: | New | | Seats4: | 5 | | Percentage4: | 5.87 | | Leader5: | Benoni Urey | | Party5: | All Liberian Party | | Last Election5: | New | | Seats5: | 3 | | Percentage5: | 5.00 | | Leader6: | Prince Johnson | | Party6: | Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction | | Last Election6: | New | | Seats6: | 2 | | Percentage6: | 3.69 | | Leader7: | Joseph Jones | | Party7: | Movement for Economic Empowerment | | Last Election7: | New | | Seats7: | 1 | | Percentage7: | 3.85 | | Leader8: | Kennedy Sandy | | Party8: | Liberia Transformation Party | | Last Election8: | 1 | | Seats8: | 1 | | Percentage8: | 3.22 | | Leader9: | MacDonald A. Wento | | Party9: | United People's Party (Liberia) | | Last Election9: | New | | Seats9: | 1 | | Percentage9: | 3.08 | | Leader10: | None | | Party10: | Victory for Change Party | | Last Election10: | 0 | | Seats10: | 1 | | Percentage10: | 1.84 | | Leader11: | Henry Fahnbulleh Jr. | | Party11: | Liberian People's Party | | Last Election11: | New | | Seats11: | 1 | | Percentage11: | 1.58 | | Leader12: | Clarence Moniba | | Party12: | Liberia National Union | | Last Election12: | 0 | | Seats12: | 1 | | Percentage12: | 1.31 | | Leader14: | — | | Party14: | Independents | | Last Election14: | 15 | | Seats14: | 13 | | Percentage14: | 15.59 | | Map: | 2017 Liberian House of Representatives election map.svg |
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General elections were held in Liberia on 10 October 2017 to elect the President and House of Representatives. No candidate won a majority in the first round of the presidential vote, so the top two finishers – CDC standard-bearer Amb. George Weah and UP standard-bearer Vice President Joseph Boakai – competed in a run-off on 26 December. The second round was originally scheduled for 7 November,[1] but was postponed after LP standard-bearer Cllr. Charles Brumskine, in third place, challenged the result in the Supreme Court.[2] The Supreme Court dismissed the challenge, which would have forced a re-run of the first round had it been successful,[3] and the second round was held on 26 December. Weah emerged victorious with 60% of the vote.[4]
The elections were overseen by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and were the first elections to be run entirely by the Government of Liberia and security forces since the conclusion of the civil wars in 2003.[5]
Electoral system
The president is elected using the two-round system,[6] whilst the 73 members of the House of Representatives are elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies.[7]
Candidates
Incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in office since 2006, was constitutionally barred from running for a third term; the election was therefore to choose her successor.
- Joseph Boakai,[8] Vice President since January 2006
- Charles Brumskine, Leader of the Liberty Party and former President Pro of the Senate[9]
- MacDella Cooper, philanthropist[10]
- Alexander B. Cummings, former executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Coca-Cola[11]
- Prince Yormie Johnson, former rebel leader
- Joseph Mills Jones, leader of the Movement for Economic Empowerment and former Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia[12]
- Richard Miller, businessman
- Benoni Urey, businessman
- George Weah, former footballer who was defeated by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the 2005 election[13]
- MacDonald A. Wento, United People's Party[14]
- Jeremiah Whapoe, businessman
Opinion polls
Conduct
The European Union Electoral Observer Mission (EU EOM)'s preliminary statement, issued on 12 October 2017, acknowledged generally peaceful polling. However, "The EU EOM has directly observed several instances of public officials engaged in campaigning that further hampered equality among contestants. The mission has received claims about the uneven use of state resources and access to public spaces working to the advantage of the incumbent. The mission's direct observation indicates a high level of monetization of the campaign, where a culture of in-kind and financial hand-outs to communities prevails."[15]
Results
House of Representatives
Notes and References
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41631424 Liberia election: Weah and Boakai headed for presidential run-off
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41829335 Liberia presidential vote halted by country's Supreme Court
- http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20171211-liberian-authorities-tight-lipped-over-run-and-electoral-roll-clean Liberian authorities tight-lipped over run-off and electoral roll clean-up
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42507405 George Weah elected Liberian president
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/10/liberian-voters-peace-historic-election-under-way 'Everything is going to plan' – Liberians vote in first election run without UN
- http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2214/ Liberia
- http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2183_B.htm Electoral system
- https://next.ft.com/content/821bfe28-dbb9-11e5-a72f-1e7744c66818 Liberia's election threatens its fragile stability
- http://www.voanews.com/a/liberias-brumskine-outlines-vision-for-2017-presidential-bid/2866098.html Liberia's Brumskine Outlines Vision for 2017 Presidential Bid
- http://www.liberianobserver.com/news/first-2017-female-presidential-aspirant First 2017 Female Presidential Aspirant
- http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/who-presidential-candidate-alexander-b-cummings-free-marketeer-hoping-transform-liberia-1602267 Alexander B. Cummings – The free-marketeer presidential candidate hoping to transform Liberia
- http://www.frontpageafricaonline.com/index.php/politics/4700-dr-mills-jones-calls-on-liberians-to-elect-talented-people-in-office Dr. Mills Jones Calls on Liberians to Elect Talented People in Office
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36166570 Liberia ex-footballer George Weah to run for president again
- http://www.thenewdawnliberia.com/politics/13979-upp-will-not-accept-foreign-money UPP will not accept foreign money
- https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/final_preliminary_statement_1_liberia.pdf Preliminary statement: Liberians mobilise for a democratic transition in elections, with scope for legal and procedural improvements
