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,Liberia election: Weah and Boakai headed for presidential run-off BBC News, 16 October 2017 but was postponed after LP standard-bearer Cllr. Charles Brumskine, in third place, challenged the result in the Supreme Court.Liberia presidential vote halted by country's Supreme Court BBC News, 1 November 2017 The Supreme Court dismissed the challenge, which would have forced a re-run of the first round had it been successful,Liberian authorities tight-lipped over run-off and electoral roll clean-up Radio France International, 11 December 2017 and the second round was held on 26 December. Weah emerged victorious with 60% of the vote.George Weah elected Liberian president BBC News, 28 December 2017
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.'Everything is going to plan' – Liberians vote in first election run without UN The Guardian, 11 October 2017
Electoral system The president is elected using the two-round system,Liberia IFES whilst the 73 members of the House of Representatives are elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies.Electoral system IPU
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,Liberia's election threatens its fragile stability Financial Times, 8 April 2016 Vice President since January 2006 Charles Brumskine, Leader of the Liberty Party and former President Pro of the SenateLiberia's Brumskine Outlines Vision for 2017 Presidential Bid VOA, 17 July 2015 MacDella Cooper, philanthropistFirst 2017 Female Presidential Aspirant Liberian Observer, 18 October 2016 Alexander B. Cummings, former executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Coca-ColaAlexander B. Cummings – The free-marketeer presidential candidate hoping to transform Liberia International Business Times, 23 January 2017 Prince Yormie Johnson, former rebel leader Joseph Mills Jones, leader of the Movement for Economic Empowerment and former Governor of the Central Bank of LiberiaDr. Mills Jones Calls on Liberians to Elect Talented People in Office Front Page Africa Richard Miller, businessman Benoni Urey, businessman George Weah, former footballer who was defeated by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the 2005 electionLiberia ex-footballer George Weah to run for president again BBC News, 28 April 2016 MacDonald A. Wento, United People's PartyUPP will not accept foreign money The New Dawn, 19 June 2017 Jeremiah Whapoe, businessman
Opinion polls PollsterDate Sample size Boakai Weah Johnson Urey Brumskine Cooper Cummings UndecidedLiberia Holding ConsortiumMay 2017 27529.45% 21.18% N/A 11.26% 16% 0.72% 9.45% N/ALiberia Holding ConsortiumJune 2017 48436.36% 18.38% 3.92% 4.75% 13.22% 0.82% 7.02% 13.01%Liberia Holding Consortium August 2017 76333.81% 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."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
Results President
House of Representatives
References