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2017 Liberian general election

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Presidential election
10 October 2017 (first round)
26 December 2017 (second round)
 
Nominee George Weah Joseph Boakai
Party CDC UP
Alliance CDC
Running mate Jewel Taylor Emmanuel Nuquay
Popular vote 732,185 457,579
Percentage 61.54% 38.46%


President before election

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
UP

Elected President

George Weah
CDC

House of Representatives election

All 73 seats in the House of Representatives
37 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader % Seats +/–
CDC George Weah 15.57 21 +7
UP Joseph Boakai 14.32 20 −4
LP Charles Brumskine 8.57 3 −4
PUP None 5.87 5 New
ALP Benoni Urey 5.00 3 New
MDR Prince Johnson 3.69 2 New
MOVEE Joseph Jones 3.85 1 New
LTP Kennedy Sandy 3.22 1 0
UPP MacDonald A. Wento 3.08 1 New
VCP None 1.84 1 +1
LPP Henry Fahnbulleh Jr. 1.58 1 New
LNU Clarence Moniba 1.31 1 +1
Independents 15.59 13 −2
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Results by constituency

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. [8]

Opinion polls

Pollster Date Sample size Boakai
Unity
Weah
CDC
Johnson
FDUP
Urey
All Liberian
Brumskine
Liberty
Cooper
ULD
Cummings
ANC
Undecided
Liberia Holding Consortium May 2017 275 29.45% 21.18% N/A 11.26% 16% 0.72% 9.45% N/A
Liberia Holding Consortium June 2017 484 36.36% 18.38% 3.92% 4.75% 13.22% 0.82% 7.02% 13.01%
Liberia Holding Consortium August 2017 763 33.81% 21.1% 2.88% 2.49% 12.45% N/A 5.63% 13.63%
International Political Polls August 2017 1,224 21.74% 24.73% 8.72% 6.38% 23.49% N/A 9.55% N/A

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

President

CandidateRunning matePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
George Weah Jewel Taylor Coalition for Democratic Change596,03738.37732,18561.54
Joseph Boakai Emmanuel James Nuquay Unity Party446,71628.76457,57938.46
Charles BrumskineHarrison S. Karnwea Sr. Liberty Party149,4959.62
Prince JohnsonAudrian R. Smith-Forbes Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction127,6668.22
Alexander B. Cummings Jr. Jeremiah Sulunteh Alternative National Congress112,0677.21
Benoni UreyAlexander Nyonkon DuopuAll Liberian Party24,2461.56
Joseph Mills JonesSamuel B. Reeves Jr.Movement for Economic Empowerment12,8540.83
MacDella CooperWilliam R. Slocum Liberia Restoration Party11,6450.75
Henry Boimah FahnbullehMarcus S.G. Dahn Liberian People's Party11,5600.74
Oscar CooperWonderr Koryenen FreemanIndependent10,3810.67
MacDonald A. WentoJohn N. Bleah United People's Party8,9680.58
Simeon C. M. FreemanWilliam T. KnowldenMovement for Progressive Change6,6820.43
Isaac Gbombadee WilesRichmond D. K. YarkpahDemocratic Justice Party6,3790.41
Aloysius William KpadehJohn S. PartorIndependent5,9220.38
Kennedy Gbleyah SandyVictoria Morris TwehLiberia Transformation Party5,3430.34
George Sluwer Dweh Sr.Annie Y. TuazamaRedemption Democratic Congress4,9350.32
William Wiah TuiderDave L. DixonNew Liberia Party4,9200.32
Jeremiah Z. WhapoeIsaac D. G. Flowers Vision for Liberia Transformation3,9460.25
Yarkpajuwur N. MatorRuth L. KollieIndependent1,9400.12
Wendell J. E. McIntoshManjerngie Cecelia NdebeChange Democratic Action1,6460.11
Total1,553,348100.001,189,764100.00
Valid votes1,553,34894.611,189,76497.67
Invalid/blank votes88,5745.3928,3602.33
Total votes1,641,922100.001,218,124100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,183,62975.192,183,62955.78
Source: NEC NEC

House of Representatives

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Coalition for Democratic Change ( CDCNPPLPDP)239,75415.5721+7
Unity Party220,50814.3220−4
Liberty Party131,9808.573−4
Alternative National Congress93,4756.070New
People's Unification Party90,4215.875New
All Liberian Party77,0135.003New
Movement for Economic Empowerment59,2683.851New
Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction56,7343.692New
Coalition for Liberia's Progress50,7323.300New
Liberia Transformation Party49,6213.2210
United People's Party47,3573.081New
Victory for Change Party28,3851.841+1
Liberian People's Party24,2871.581New
Vision for Liberia Transformation21,3241.390New
Grassroot Democratic Party of Liberia20,5881.3400
Liberia National Union20,2271.311+1
Movement for Progressive Change19,9801.300−2
True Whig Party14,7230.960New
Liberia Restoration Party11,6900.760New
Democratic Justice Party7,4150.480New
Change Democratic Action7,1660.470New
Redemption Democratic Congress5,7310.370New
Liberians for Prosperity6280.040New
New Liberia Party4940.030New
Independents240,00115.5913−2
Total1,539,502100.00730
Valid votes1,539,50294.86
Invalid/blank votes83,4275.14
Total votes1,622,929100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,183,62974.32
Source: NEC, NEC, Carter Center

References

  1. ^ Liberia election: Weah and Boakai headed for presidential run-off BBC News, 16 October 2017
  2. ^ Liberia presidential vote halted by country's Supreme Court BBC News, 1 November 2017
  3. ^ Liberian authorities tight-lipped over run-off and electoral roll clean-up Radio France International, 11 December 2017
  4. ^ George Weah elected Liberian president BBC News, 28 December 2017
  5. ^ 'Everything is going to plan' – Liberians vote in first election run without UN The Guardian, 11 October 2017
  6. ^ Liberia IFES
  7. ^ Electoral system IPU
  8. ^ a b c d e Liberia's election threatens its fragile stability Financial Times, 8 April 2016
  9. ^ Liberia's Brumskine Outlines Vision for 2017 Presidential Bid VOA, 17 July 2015
  10. ^ First 2017 Female Presidential Aspirant Archived 12 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine Liberian Observer, 18 October 2016
  11. ^ Alexander B. Cummings – The free-marketeer presidential candidate hoping to transform Liberia International Business Times, 23 January 2017
  12. ^ Dr. Mills Jones Calls on Liberians to Elect Talented People in Office Archived 7 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Front Page Africa
  13. ^ Liberia ex-footballer George Weah to run for president again BBC News, 28 April 2016
  14. ^ UPP will not accept foreign money Archived 1 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine The New Dawn, 19 June 2017
  15. ^ Preliminary statement: Liberians mobilise for a democratic transition in elections, with scope for legal and procedural improvements European Union Election Observation Mission, 12 October 2017