President Weah Urges Citizens Of Voting Age To Take Advantage Of The Exercise
By Our Staff Writer
If all goes well, phase one of Liberia ever Biometric Voter Registration will kick off tomorrow, Monday, March 2023, ahead of the October 10 presidential and legislative elections.
Unlike previous manual voter rgistration, this year’s BVR exercise is being done in two phases with six of the 15 counties kicking off the process: Montserrado, Bomi, Margibi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa and Margibi Counties.
In line with Article 77 of the Liberian constitution covering political parties and elections, Article 3 of the voter registration regulation in the country’s new elections law states:
“All elections shall be by secret ballot as may be determined by the Elections Commission, and every Liberian citizen not less than 18 years of age, shall have the right to be registered as a voter and to vote in public elections and referenda under this Constitution. The Legislature shall enact laws indicating the category of Liberians who shall not form or become members of political parties.”
NEC has already published the updated edition of the 2023 Voter Registration Centers (VRCs) Listing for the Voter Registration Phase One. Both phases of the registration are due to end on May 11, 2023.
“Counties contains corrections for inaccuracies and discrepancies discovered or brought to the attention of the National Elections Commission after publication of the original listing on March 6, 2023.
Corrections were implemented for VRCs allocated to the wrong electoral districts, inaccurate names and
locations of facilities hosting VRCs, and the relocation of VRCs from facilities discovered to be unsuitable,” a statement from the NEC said recently.
Ahead of the start of the BVR, President George Manneh Weah, who recently declared his second round bid, called on citizens who are eligible to vote to take advantage of the voter registration exercise.
SEE A PRESS RELEASE FROM TTHE EXECUTIVE MANSION ON FEBRUARY 16, 2023:
Monrovia, Liberia – The President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah has called on all citizens to take advantage of the Voters Registration Exercise the National Elections Commission (NEC) is about to begin on March 20, 2023.
Voter’s registration is the only legitimate medium that enables citizens to vote in the Legislative and Presidential Elections in October this year.
“I call on all citizens, 18 years and above, to register in order to be able to vote,” President Weah urged in a special statement issued Thursday, March 16, 2023.
President Weah reminded Liberians that such is an important civic duty they must perform as good citizens.The President informed citizens that their voter’s cards will allow them to make a decision to have better health care services and education, as well as improved infrastructure.
He said: “The National Elections Commission has said from March 20 to April 9, 2023, Citizens of Gbarpolu, Bomi, Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado Counties will register to vote.”
“And from April 21 to May 11, 2023, the citizens of Bong, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Maryland, Nimba, Rivercess, River Gee, and Sinoe Counties will do theirs, he added.
The Liberian Leader challenged each citizen to inform family members, friends, and neighbors age 18 and above about the exercise.