ECC Report On Just-Ended By Elections In 4 Counties: Peaceful & Safe

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                     For Immediate Release              

 

PRESS CONTACT:

Atty. Oscar Bloh

Chairman, ECC Steering Committee

Phone: +231(0)886554109

Malcolm Joseph: 0886514357

Secretariat: +231(0)775186929/

Email: eccsecretariate2011@gmail.com

Website: eccliberia.com

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE OBSERVATION OF THE 2021 REPRESENTATIVE BY-ELECTIONS

Introduction

Based on reports from ECC observers Liberians conducted themselves in an orderly manner and voting took place in a peaceful manner.

This preliminary statement is based on reports that the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) has received from 78 Short-term Observers (STOs) deployed to polling precincts to observe the 2021 Representative By-Elections in Bomi (District-01), Bong (District-02), Nimba (District-01) and Grand Gedeh (District-01).The observation focused on all aspect of the procedure including Set-Up and Opening, Voting, Closing and Counting.

To perform this task, the ECC trained and deployed 93 observers. Of the 93 observers, 78 were precinct observers deployed generally to observe at all 78 voting precincts, 4 electoral district supervisors who supervised the activities of the Precints or Elections day observers, 4 county coordinators who served as tally observers to observe the tabulation of the accumulative votes; and 7 Data Clerks who were stationed at the ECC’s Data Center in Monrovia to collect data from the observers. This deployment at all of the 78 Polling Precincts enabled the ECC to speak on the quality of the conduct of the process.

Key Findings:

Arrival:

By 7:00am, all ECC Observers were at their assigned voting precincts and polling places. In 99% of polling places where ECC Observers were located, the

• National Election Commission (NEC) staff respected the ECC Observers’ status as accredited observers and permitted them to observe at the polling place.

Set-Up

 

• ECC observers reported that at all 78 of polling places observed, all five NEC staff members were present during the set-up. In 19% of polling places, at least two NEC staff members were women.

• Observers reported that all sensitive materials (including the ballots, ballot ballot boxes, ballot paper stamp, indelible ink, the Final Registration Roll (FRR), and the Record of the Count Forms) were available at all observed polling places at the time of opening.

• In all of the polling places where the ECC observed, the NEC presiding officers showed that the ballot boxes were empty and the presiding officers sealed each of the ballot boxes with four seals before voting commenced.

• ECC observers in 49% of polling places noted that they had to climb stairs to reach the polling place. Stairs make the polling place inaccessible to persons with disabilities or the elderly.

• In all of voting precincts where ECC observers were located, observers saw security personnel in the area.

Opening

 ECC observers reported that voting generally commenced on time in most of the observed voting precincts and polling places.                                                                              

Voting Process

Within their polling place, ECC observers witnessed NEC staff generally following voting procedures.

• In 100% of polling places observed, voters were always asked to present their voter registration (VR) card before being allowed to vote.
• ECC observers in 99% of polling places reported that the ballot papers were always stamped before being handed to the voter.
• In 100% of polling places observed, the voting screen was placed in a way that guaranteed the secrecy of the vote.
• • • To strengthen political reconciliation, candidates who did not win should gracefully accept the results and send congratulatory messages to the proclaimed winner.Final and certified results should be announced in the Districts where the elections took place. This will help to build citizens’ trust in the outcome.Provide timely information to the public on any challenges emerging on the counting and transmission of results.t the same time, if any political party or independent candidate has grievances on the outcome of the electoral process, that party or candidate should follow the laws and procedures as enshrined in the Constitution, Electoral laws and Regulations governing electoral disputes resolution.t least two NEC staff in 36% of observed polling places were women and 20% of this number were Presiding Officer. CC observers noted that the finger of every voter was inked after voting in 100% of observed polling places.
      • • Closing and Counting: ECC observers reported that 88% of observed polling places closed between 5:45pm and 6:15 pm. In 64% of observed polling places there were still voters in the queue at 6:00pm and they were allowed to vote. Presence of Party Agents ECC observers reported the presence of at least one party agent at 99% of observed polling places during the opening, voting and counting processes. ECC noted that the CDC and CPP coalitions deployed nearly equal number of party agents in observed polling places followed by the Rainbow Alliance and Independent Candidates. This contributed to a level of transparency in the process. Up to the close of the counting and tabulation of results, observers did not record any formal complaints filed by any of the contestants or party agent.

          COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol

          ECC observers reported that voters adhered to social distancing protocol. However, ECC observers reported that 47% of polling places observed, all of the voters wore their face mask / shield, and in 50%, observers reported that some of the voters wore their face mask / shield while going to vote.This is in keeping with COVID-19 protocol.

          Critical Incidents

          However, during votes tabulation in Bong county, at the Yeanawoun Palava Hut with polling precinct # 06128 and polling place 2, ECC observer observed a complaint filed by a lawyer representing the CDC candidate, alleging his candidate was denied and subsequently flogged during the voting process. According to the accuser, the CDC party agent had asked the VIO to verify from the FRR a voter whom he claimed accessed the polling place with a replaced voter card. The NEC’s staffs refused to adhere to his demand. But the party agent insisted upon doing so. In the the event, argument ensued that led to the allege flogging of the party agent by a NEC’s staff along with some supporters of the PUP who later joined the argument.

          In another happening, during the tallying process, Our observer saw a man identified as the CDC county coordinator who entered the tally center to have discussion with the Magistrate while the tally process was ongoing. The Magistrate initially refused. Through an exchange to convince the Magistrate to yield to his request, tallying was delayed for about 10 minutes.

          The ECC remains committed to making follow-up with the adjudication of this matter and wherever subsequent petition is filed by any other contestant, the ECC will follow the adjudication process to its logical conclusion.

          Recommendations

          To the National Elections Commission:

       

      • Treat all electoral disputes equally and adjudicate them in a timely and transparent manner.

      To political parties and independent candidates

      About the ECC:

     

  The ECC is a civil society platform, comprising six civil society organizations including the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG); Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP); Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD); Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development (Naymote-PADD); West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) and the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL). This observation was made possible with funding from USAID and in partnership with Democracy International (DI).