ECC Issues Preliminary Statement on Nimba By-Elections -Affirms Electoral Process Peaceful, Orderly Process

MONROVIA – The Nimba County District #5 by-election has ended peacefully, and a domestic observatory group, the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) is confirming the orderliness of the process.

The election was intended to fill the vacancy created as a result of the election of former Representative Samuel Kogar to the Senate following the demise of Senator Prince Johnson.  The polls marked the third by-election to take place in Nimba County since the 2023 general elections.

In a statement issued yesterday, Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) commended the citizens of Nimba County District Number 5 for what it called their peaceful participation in the by-election that was held on August 12, 2025.

The ECC deployed a special observation mission to Nimba to observe the pre-election and Election Day processes for the representative by-election, stating that the election was conducted in a generally calm, peaceful, and orderly manner, and voters turned out gradually following the setup and opening of polls to vote.

The statement was report on how the ECC it observed the setup and opening of polls, the voting process, and the closing and counting at some voting precincts visited by the ECC. The ECC also observed the tabulation/tally of votes at the Sanniquelleh Magisterial Office/tally center through its County Coordinator, who was posted on election day and the day after.

According the ECC statement, the NEC confirmed all necessary preparations for the conduct of a smooth and credible election days ahead of election day.

The ECC said it later confirmed assertions by the NEC when the ECC Special Election Observation team, headed by its Board Chair, Malcolm Wleemogar Joseph, was deployed from August 10 to August 12, 2025, in the major border town of Buutuo, Nimba County electoral #5, to observe the final preparations ahead of election day.

Upon arrival, the ECC reported that it witnessed the deployment and distribution of election materials and polling staff to various voting precincts in the district, including the turnover of election materials to the Zoe-Geh Statutory District Superintendent for safekeeping prior to Election Day.

“The ECC Observation team deployed to Nimba electoral District #5 observed election day processes in a generally calm and peaceful environment, as voters in the district turned out gradually and voted in an orderly manner, with no crisis with queue management.

The atmosphere during the ECC observation remained free of tension, and key stakeholders, including officials from the National Elections Commission (NEC), security forces, political party agents, and international observers, were present and actively engaged.

According to the election observatory group, the NEC officials generally followed voting procedures in the discharge of their duty.

“Additionally, just as in the recent by-elections, the ECC noted the required number of NEC polling officials at voting precincts observed, the timely opening of polls, and the availability of essential/sensitive voting materials,” the election umpire said, commending the NEC for its adequate preparation for the conduct of the by-election and the LNP for its presence in providing security.

The ECC observation team received its accreditation from the NEC days ahead of the election and was permitted to access and observe at all polling places and voting precincts visited. In total, ECC covered seven (7) of the 21 NEC’s designated voting precincts and 25 of 69 polling places in the electoral district.

By 7:45am the ECC observation team was at the first voting precinct, the Buutuo Central High School, having code 33025, which included 3 polling places to observe the setup of polling stations. The precinct had more than one security personnel present during the setup.

Voting generally commenced on time at various polling places visited. At the initial voting precinct visited by the ECC, all three polling places opened by 8:00 am, and voters in the other precincts confirmed that the voting started between 8:00 and 8:15 am, and there were party agents present at all the polling places observed at the opening of polls, and LEON observers were seen in some of these polling places.

Polling Place Set-Up

The ECC observation team said it witnessed the setup of 3 of 25 polling places observed at the first voting precinct visited, and during the time, the team noted the availability of the required sensitive voting materials, including the FRR, ballot papers, indelible ink, the official ballot stamp, and the accounting forms.

In addition, an average of five NEC staff were present with two or more women polling officials on each team, said ECC, adding that Party agents and security personnel were present during the setup of these polling places.

In all the initial 3 observed polling places, the ballot box was shown to be empty and sealed with four seals before voting began, reports the ECC further.

Additionally, all the voting precincts and polling places visited were located in low-level buildings or structures, making them completely accessible to all categories of voters, including the physically challenged, elderly, and voters with visual impairment. Even though the ECC did not visit all 21 voting precincts, the NEC is, however, commended and encouraged to build on this effort by identifying low-level structures to be used as voting precincts during subsequent elections.

Voting Process

Following the observation of the setup and opening of polls of the first voting precinct, the ECC observation team roamed within the district, thereby visiting other voting precincts and polling places to observe the voting process.

At these observed precincts and polling places, ECC witnessed NEC staff generally following voting procedures, and there was no problem with queue control due to the gradual turnout of voters.

The ECC also said in all polling places and precincts observed, the NEC Voter Identification Officer requested that voters present their voter registration (VR) card for verification before being allowed to vote, and the ECC team noted the consistent inking of voters’ fingers after voting in all observed places.

Ballot papers were observed to be stamped before being issued to voters; the NEC polling officials mounted voting screens/curtains that guaranteed the secrecy of the vote at all observed polling places, and the elderly, physically challenged voters, and pregnant women were seen being given priority to vote.

Closing and Counting Process

The ECC said deployed a single observation team comprising seven representatives, including two board members, three secretariat volunteers, and two field coordinators/supervisors.

Since the ECC deployed a single observation team in the district and could not train nor deploy its usual community observers due to lack of funding support, only the electoral district supervisor was assigned to a single voting precinct at the end of the day to observe the closing and counting, reported the organization.

“The ECC electoral district supervisor was posted at the Beeplay Public School, having precinct code 33009, which consisted of five polling places,” it said “According to the supervisor’s report, the counting process generally went on peacefully, with NEC officials adhering to counting procedures. He also reported that party agents and security officers were present during the count, including a UNDP observer and a correspondent from the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS). The supervisor further noted that all party agents approved the results and no complaint was filed about the counting process.”

Due to the gradual turnout of voters, there was no one in the queue at 6:00pm, resulting in the close of the five polling places at 6:00pm.

The ECC observation team noted the availability of solar lamps during the day at various precincts and polling places visited, making way for sufficient lighting during the counting. The NEC staff also informed that all voting materials would immediately be transported to the NEC Magisterial Office for the tabulation of results and storage of materials.

Critical Incidents

The elections observers said they did not observe any sign or incident of tension, violence, or disruption at all voting precincts and polling places visited during the day, but acknowledged its electoral district supervisors who posted at the Beeplay Public School reported late in the evening of an incident that occurred in Nyor Gormahplay Town,.

In the hometown of the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson, it was said that a man was arrested due to his attempt to vote at one of the precincts while illegally carrying a firearm.

“Since the ECC district supervisor was miles away from the site of the incident, the ECC cannot provide sufficient details, but information received states that the man was immediately arrested and detained at the Bahn Police Station within the district for further investigation,” the group issued a disclaimer.

Tally of Results

The ECC deployed its county coordinator at the Sanniquelleh magisterial office to observe the tabulation of the results. According to the ECC Coordinator, there were media representatives and other observers present, including a LEON observer, during the tally process. The ECC coordinator reported a smooth process, with NEC announcing the winner of the representative by-election at the end. NEC declared candidate Kwagrue, Kortor Sehwongbay of the Movement of Democracy for Reconstruction (MDR), the winner of the 2025 Nimba Electoral District 5 Representative by-election following the tabulation of the results during an official press briefing at the magisterial office[1].

The ECC will continue to follow post-election engagement geared toward electoral reform.

Recommendations

Based on its observations and findings, the ECC recommended a number of things, such as that National Elections Commission (NEC) be encouraged to treat all electoral disputes equally, if any, and adjudicate them in a timely and transparent manner.

“If any political party or independent candidate has grievances on the outcome of the results, they must follow the due process of law and refrain from inciting their supporters to violence,” the group also recommended.

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