Despite calls by opposition political parties to clean-up the voter Roll, the National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced Voter Roll Update, ahead of the midterm senatorial election, while unveiling calendar of events leading to the December 8, 2020 polls.
NEC chairperson, Davidetta Brown-Lassanah, Tuesday, August 04, said revision of the 2017 Voter Roll Update is in compliance with joint resolution by the 54th Legislature to ensure authenticity of the past and current elections.
“In the joint resolution signed by the 54th legislature which authorizes the special elections and Referendum for Dec. 8, 2020 senatorial elections, in that resolution counts 4 and 5 NEC mandated the commission to put in place the mechanism to have major stakeholders to review Voter Roll Update process”, Madam Brown-Lassanah said.
In count 4, the Commissioner said, considering the authenticity and credibility of the 2017 Final Registration Roll(FRR)should be conducted by NEC to involve stakeholders political parties technicians to ensure legitimacy and authentic of 2017 to be used for the Dec 8,2020 and Referendum,”
In count five: “that the Voter Registration Roll Update shall be conducted for the ensuring senatorial elections without delay to ensure the possibility of the election.”
“Today, We are very glad and to have achieved this. On that note, the Board of Directors of the NEC and staff, launch this review of the Voter Roll Update today” she added. Commissioner Brown-Lassanah also indicated that update of the voter Roll is mandated by the Supreme Court of Liberia.
NEC also mandated each registered political party to submit a name of its technicians who will today, Wednesday, form party of the process that is expected to last for two weeks.
The Voter Roll was challenged by the late standard bearer of the Liberty Party, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and the Unity Party, describing the voters roll as a source of fraud in the 2017 presidential and representative polls.
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Speaking on behalf of the political parties, Ciapha Gbolie, Vice Chair for Political Affairs, National Democratic Coalition, applauded NEC for what he referred to as good beginning of the process by making the Voter Roll update.
“As we have complained about the Voter Roll Clean-up, we want to say you got our fullest support. We are going to send our representatives to ensure that the Voter Roll is in place for the Special senatorial race. Without this process, the election will not be credible”, Mr. Gbolie said.
The midterm senatorial elections are intended to elect 15 of the 30 senators in the Liberia before presidential election in 2023. Editing by Jonathan Browne
