By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
Liberians are poised to elect their leaders tomorrow, Tuesday, October 10, when polling commences in earnest in the presidential and legislative elections. There are 20 presidential candidates in this year’s elections, and all candidates claim they will win.
The 1986 Liberian Constitution article 83 (a) states; voting for the President, Vice–President, members of the Senate and members of the House of Representatives shall be conducted throughout the Republic on the second Tuesday in October of each election year.
The data released by the National Elections Commission for these elections for voters for the Tuesday’s elections stand at 2,183,629.
The electoral house said of this number, 986,190 or 52% are males while 917,039 or 48% are females.
According to the records, registrants per county include Bomi County, 61,171; Bong County, 208,150; Gbapolu County, 48,669; Grand Bassa County, 145,798; Grand Cape Mount County, 65,800, and Grand Gedeh County, 63,495.
Others include Grand Kru, 35,506; Lofa County, 167, 555; Margibi County, 154,328; Maryland County, 57,344; Montserrado County, 777,503; Nimba County, 279, 572; River Gee, 35,240); Rivercess , 5,600, and Sinoe County, 47,952.
Rivercess and River Gee counties have the lowest numbers of registered voters recorded at 31,550 and 31,515 or 2% each.
There are 26 political parties contesting in these elections, with 20 presidential candidates, and 1,08 legislative candidates.
According to NEC’s data, there are 2,080 voting precincts and 5,390 polling places throughout the country.
Of the 20 presidential candidates, from the campaign activities couple with debate in the loops and corners of the country there are six major contenders: the Coalition for Democratic Change of former world best footballer, now Senator of Montserrado County George Manneh Weah; opposition Liberty Party of former Senate Pro Tempore, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine; governing Unity Party of Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai; new entrant to Liberian politics Alexander Cummings of Alternative National Congress; businessman turned politician Benoni Urey of the All Liberia Party, and Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson.
The Liberian Constitution states in order for one political party of independent candidate to be declared winner by the National Elections Commission that party of candidate shall obtain 50 percent plus one vote. It is arguable that no political party or independent candidate here can obtain such number in the first phase of the Tuesday’s election.
But many Liberians of the strong conviction that of the six candidates, three stands better chance of making to the presidential runoff they are; the Coalition for Democratic Change, the Liberty Party and the Unity Party.
