The Nationwide Elections Fee is contemplating early and absentee voting forward of the 2029 basic and presidential elections, following a research tour of the electoral system.
The tour, which consisted of a nine-member joint delegation comprising officers from the Nationwide Elections Fee of Liberia (NEC-Liberia), the Legislature, Regulation Reform Fee, and UNDP-Liberia, targeted on analyzing Ghana’s electoral system, with specific emphasis on electoral reforms and boundary delimitation – areas from which Liberia stands to learn considerably.
Upon his return to Monrovia on Saturday, 6 December 2025, NEC Govt Director and Head of Secretariat, Mr. Anthony Ok. Sengbe, highlighted Ghana’s profitable implementation of Early/Particular Voting as a mannequin price adopting to boost Liberia’s democratic course of.
In keeping with Mr. Sengbe, Ghana affords early voting to safety personnel, journalists, electoral employees, and home election observers, permitting them to solid their ballots every week earlier than the official election day.
“This technique allows these important stakeholders to completely perform their crucial roles on election day with out compromising their proper to vote,” he stated.
“By enabling these residents to vote early, they’ll contribute successfully to creating the election course of extra clear and environment friendly, with out conflicting with their duties on election day,” – Mr. Anthony Ok. Sengbe, Govt Director & Head of Secretariat, NEC-Liberia.
Mr. Sengbe emphasised that adopting early voting in Liberia would give professionals in these classes the pliability wanted to assist the electoral course of extra successfully.
He underscored their significance in sustaining the integrity of elections: safety personnel safeguard the method, the media ensures transparency by protection, election staff handle operations, and observers function watchdogs to advertise equity.
The Govt Director additionally pointed to Ghana’s implementation of Absentee or Proxy Voting, which permits eligible voters to authorize another person to vote on their behalf if they’re unable to vote in particular person as a result of sickness, incapacity, work obligations, schooling, private causes, or residence overseas.
In Ghana, a proxy voter might solid a poll for just one particular person per election.
A proxy should be a registered voter and as soon as a proxy is appointed, the unique voter can not vote in particular person on election day.
Proxy appointments could also be cancelled earlier than election day by formal notification to the Electoral Fee.
Mr. Sengbe believes the same system would allow Liberians dwelling overseas or these going through respectable challenges on election day to take part meaningfully within the electoral course of.
He famous that introducing proxy voting would broaden participation, significantly for the Liberian diaspora, making elections extra inclusive and consultant.
The research tour, supported by UNDP-Liberia, was designed to strengthen Liberia’s electoral framework by aligning it with efficient regional finest practices.
By observing Ghana’s programs firsthand, the Liberian delegation aimed to determine reforms that may tackle previous challenges, enhance voter confidence, and develop citizen participation – priorities that Mr. Sengbe strongly advocates.
Delegation Members from the NEC included:
Cllr. Ernestine Morgan-Awar, Commissioner
Mr. Anthony Ok. Sengbe, Govt Director & Head of Secretariat
Cllr. Alvin Teage Jalloh, Senior Authorized Counsel
Madam Emma Ok. Togba, Deputy Govt Director for Operations,
Madam Deddeh M. Pusah, Director of Area Coordination.
From the Legislature and different Establishments:
Consultant Thomas Romeo Quioh, Chairman, Home Committee on Elections & Inauguration,
Consultant Ellen Attoh-Wreh, Chairperson, Girls’s Legislative Caucus,
Cllr. Ramese T. Kumbuyah, Govt Director, Regulation Reform Fee
Mr. Zage Filiposki, Capability Strengthening Specialist, UNDP Liberia. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
