By: Linda Gbartie
MONROVIA: The National Elections Commission (NEC), has announced that in keeping with its operational plan and electoral timeline, ballot papers for the 2024 Nimba County Senatorial and Grand Gedeh District #1 Representatives’ by-elections have arrived in the country.
The Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Davidetta Browne Lansanah, made the disclosure on Monday, April 15, 2024, at a press conference held at the NEC Headquarters in Sinkor, Monrovia.
Madam Lansanah said the ballot papers came in the country on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from Ghana via the Robert International Airport (RIA) in Margibi County in category and quantities.
According to Madam Lansanah, the ballot papers came in the following category and quantities: Four hundred thirteen thousand, fifty ballots for the Nimba Senatorial by-elections (413,050); and 26,400 ballots for Grand Gedeh District #1 Representative by-election arrived in the country.
She also indicated that the ballots arrived along with other electoral materials including the record of the count forms and tata ballot guides which are currently stored securely under the protection of state securities.
The NEC Chairperson mentioned that the packaging of materials in NEC central warehouse is ongoing and nearing completion, especially with the arrival of the ballots.
Madam Lansanah outlined that the deployment of ballot papers and other sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials for Nimba County and Grand Gedeh District #1 commenced on April 15, 2024.
She said the arrangement of temporary staffs for the by-elections is ongoing while training for electoral supervisors in all locations concluded on April 15, 2024.
She continued that polling and counting training for poll workers will commence on April 16, 2024, and conclude on April 21, 2024.
She also disclosed that political campaign for the 2024 senatorial by-election in Nimba County and District #1 representative by-election in Grand Gedeh commenced on April 4, 2024 which is progressing peacefully and will end on April 20, 2024 at midnight.
“The Commission reminded all candidates to continue to conduct their campaign activities peacefully and to follow the campaign guidelines being regulated by NEC.
The Commission informs all stakeholders that all accreditation tags for party agents will be issued at NEC offices in Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties, beginning Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
“All observers’ institutions including the media wishing to observe the by-elections have up to Thursday, April 18, 2024, to request for accreditation,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Madam Lansanah said that the NEC has formally launched the Civil and Voter Education (CVE) activities for the by-elections simultaneously in both counties on March 22, 2024.
The NEC Boss indicated that the distribution of CVE materials to citizens in Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties have also begun.
She highlighted that prior to the CVE launch, all nine CVE cells in Nimba and the one Cell in District #1 Grand Gedeh County were activated by NEC, educating and informing citizens in both counties about the by-elections as such more CVE and gender outreach materials such as posters, flyers, t-shirts, caps, banners etc. as well as NEC personnel continue to be deployed to Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties to support outreach activities for the by-elections.
Furthermore, the NEC Boss said, in Nimba County, NEC is organizing the polls for 327,661 registered voters at 262 precincts comprising 736 polling places.
She emphasized that it requires 3,846 polling staff to mind the polls in Nimba while in District #1 Grand Gedeh County and that there are 20,407 registered voters and eleven precincts, comprising forty-six polling places which require two hundred and forty-three polling staffs.
“In both Nimba and Grand Gedeh District #1 ,the staffs will be deployed immediately following their training,” she said.
Accordingly, she said the total senatorial candidates contesting in the by-elections in Nimba County are four and all of them are males while in Grand Gedeh, total number of candidates is 15: 12 males and 3 females.
Madam Lansanah vowed that the NEC will continue to work with all stakeholders, candidates, observers’ groups and the securities operators to ensure a successful conduct of the by-elections as well as to update Liberians on both elections in Nimba and Grand Gedeh District #1.
