UNDP, LRC Accelerate Reforms -Partners confront Liberia’s longstanding election-law failures

MONROVIA – Liberia still has time to repair weaknesses in its electoral laws before 2029, but the window for credible reform will narrow quickly. The Law Reform Commission’s engagement with the United Nations Development Programme places urgency behind issues repeatedly carried from one election to another. Campaign financing, voter registration, women’s representation, election disputes, party regulation and voter trucking all require decisions before political interests harden. Commission Chairperson Bornor Varmah wants the package completed by 2027, ahead of ECOWAS restrictions on late electoral amendments. That timetable is sensible and necessary for confidence before campaigning intensifies. Its success, however, will depend on full legislative participation, nationwide consultation and political willingness. Powerful actors may prefer the existing rules unchanged. THE ANALYST reports.

MONROVIA — The Law Reform Commission (LRC) has set the end of 2027 as its target for completing reforms to Liberia’s electoral laws, seeking to avoid another election cycle governed by unresolved legal and institutional weaknesses. The Commission is working with national and international partners to develop a comprehensive package covering campaign financing, voter registration, women’s representation, election disputes and political-party regulation.

The timetable emerged from a high-level meeting between the LRC and a team from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Electoral Support Project. The engagement focused on the status of the reform initiative and the work required to complete the process ahead of the 2029 general elections.

LRC Executive Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah led the Commission’s delegation during the meeting at its Monrovia headquarters. Robert David Irish, Inclusive Electoral Process and Legal Reform Specialist with the UNDP Electoral Support Project, led the visiting team.

“One of our core focus areas is electoral reform intervention. This morning we hosted the UNDP team to ascertain the status of the electoral reform initiative ahead of 2029,” Varmah stated.

Legal Audit Identifies Gaps

Varmah disclosed that the Commission has already conducted an audit of Liberia’s electoral legal regime and identified critical gaps requiring urgent reform. The review provides the basis for the comprehensive package now being drafted.

The LRC has been working with the National Elections Commission (NEC), civil society organizations and international partners. According to Varmah, proposals covering different electoral interventions have already been submitted as the Commission develops the broader reform package.

“We have not been successful in reforming our electoral laws over the years. Now we have three more years before the election, and that is ample time to get it done,” he declared.

The proposed reforms cover political-party regulation, campaign financing and voter registration. They also address women’s political participation and representation, election-dispute resolution mechanisms and the structure and role of the NEC Board of Commissioners.

Other issues under consideration include Liberia’s election date and voter trucking. The Commission’s review is intended to address weaknesses that have repeatedly generated controversy during electoral periods.

“The issues are political party regulation, campaign financing, voter registration, women participation, election offences and dispute resolution — these are topical interventions that matter for our electoral system,” Varmah noted.

Commission Sets Drafting Timeline

Varmah disclosed that the LRC hopes to conclude the drafting process within one to two months. The proposed package will then undergo peer review and national validation involving relevant stakeholders, including the Legislature.

Following the review and validation stages, the reform package will be submitted to the President. The President is expected to transmit it to the Legislature for consideration and possible enactment.

The Commission wants the process completed before the country moves deeply into the political activities preceding the 2029 elections. Early completion would provide political parties, election authorities and voters with adequate time to understand and adjust to any new requirements.

Varmah emphasized the need to respect the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. The regional instrument prohibits changes to electoral laws within six months of an election without the consent of most political actors.

“We are mindful of time. We must ensure this process is consummated before the end of 2027, because ECOWAS does not permit members to tamper with electoral laws six months to elections,” he stated.

The proposed deadline would place the reform process well ahead of the six-month restriction. It would also reduce the danger that legal amendments could become entangled with immediate partisan calculations as the election approaches.

Nationwide Validation Planned

The LRC intends to prepare a concept note requesting UNDP support for a validation exercise outside Monrovia. The exercise would allow citizens and stakeholders across the country to provide feedback on the proposed electoral reforms.

Nationwide consultation would give communities beyond the capital an opportunity to examine changes affecting voter registration, political participation, representation and election disputes. It would also provide the Commission with views shaped by electoral experiences in different counties.

Varmah emphasized that the LRC’s responsibilities include drafting laws and ensuring their alignment with the Constitution. He acknowledged, however, that the Legislature retains the constitutional authority to enact laws.

“There is no way you can bypass the Legislature. They have the constitutional responsibility to pass laws. We must work with them from review to validation,” Varmah declared.

The Commission’s plan therefore places legislative participation within the reform process rather than at its conclusion. Early engagement could help lawmakers understand the proposed changes before the package formally reaches the Capitol.

The reform initiative will ultimately depend on cooperation among the LRC, NEC, Legislature, political parties, civil society and development partners. Their ability to complete the process before partisan competition intensifies will determine whether Liberia enters the 2029 elections with a clearer and more credible legal framework.