Vote counting has begun after Tuesday’s delayed presidential runoff election ended in Liberia.
As the polls closed by 6pm local time, the National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairman Jerome Korkoya said counting began when voting at the various polling centers closed as prescribed by the country’s electoral laws.
Incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) is taking on the one-time World best footballer and now Montserrado County Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia late Tuesday evening, Cllr. Korkoya disclosed that the counting of ballots are taking before the full view of all political representatives, local and international observers at all the more than 5,300 polling stations across the country.
The NEC Chairman also confirmed that police are investigating a voter at the Precinct Number 30126 located at Mother Sarah School System in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia for having two ballot papers.
He also explained that a polling staff undermined his impartiality at the voter polling number 30025 stationed at JHP Hope, when he posted on the social media his political choice.
But the individual was immediately removed and replaced.
Korkoya expressed his deepest gratitude to polling staff including five from Nimba and Grand Bassa counties, who were involved serious motor road accidents in preparation for the run-off election day.
According to him, these polling staffers are now receiving treatments in hospitals in Ganta and Buchanan, two major cities outside Monrovia.
By midday on Wednesday, December 27, 2017, the tallying of results will begin and NEC will subsequently be releasing the provisional ones as soon as they arrive.
NEC is therefore reminding all stakeholders and political parties that it is the only institution of government cloth with the authority to release any result.
Meanwhile, unofficial initial exit poll results have begun to be reported by the local media overnight from across the country.
Some 2.3 million people registered to vote, but voter turnout appeared to be low. Report by Augustine Octavius