25 November 2009
The close of polling yesterday has tapered the hullabaloo that dogged the Montserrado County Senatorial By-Election. Next - and as certainly as day follows night - is bound to be the anxious wait for the results and what observers and analysts make of the process.
But, already, the focus is on the exploits of the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the disproportionate voters' turnout. The Analyst, reports.
Observers say despite improvement in polling services in Tuesday's senatorial run-off elections, most eligible voters deliberately stayed away.
Several political and poll observers who spoke with The Analyst yesterday following the official close of voting said the remedial steps NEC took to ensure easy and fair voting paid off to its credibility and the authenticity of the process.
"Once the proper steps were put into place to address the irregularities of the first round, there is no question that Liberians will welcome and accept the final outcome," said one pro-CDC voter in West Point.
NEC 'Redeems' Itself
The Election Commission received massive criticisms from all sides when the November 10 polls ended in a deadlock between UP's Urey and CDC's Sherif. This was despite concessions by observers and critics alike that the run-off was not NEC's making but a constitutional requirement necessitated by the failure of any of the ten candidates to obtain 50% plus 1 vote needed to win outright.
They however argued that the irregularities that dotted the preparation process up to polling date contributed significantly to the both the deadlock and the hush-hush protest and suspicion that ensued. Now, some say, the argument should be over because NEC has redeemed itself and that this time around there is likely to be no question regarding the authenticity and credibility of the final result.
Apparently judging from reports from yesterday's runoff, observers say the Commission considerably improved its managerial and organizational skills in preparation for the runoff, which largely has gone well. This, in their view, means that NEC had learned from its mistakes and has made the run-off polls worthy of what an election ought to be. This paper has learnt that even initial critics of the commission have begun sending messages of commendations for "elections well conducted," citing what they called the orderly coordination of the polls and the transparency that engendered.
For instance, they say, improvements over the last polling included early opening of polling centers on schedule, orderly queues, fast verification of voters' documents, and the meticulous following of the poll guidelines to ensure that no one took undue advantage of another by bullying or discouraging them from voting according to their consciences.
Poll workers who spoke with this paper shortly following the official closing of polls said timeliness played a crucial role for the success of the run-off.
"We received the materials early and so it was easy to begin. Everyone was ready on time - NEC officials and poll workers, poll observers of the various candidates - all was ready and that was fine," said one poll worker who preferred to remain unknown "because I'm not allowed to speak with the press."
Another area of observed improvement, observers say, is the numbering system. "The numbering system made it harder in the first round for voters to get cleared in order to cast their ballots. While some could not be cleared because they are in the wrong polling center, others simply did not know where to go in order to vote. NEC took care of all this, this time," the poll worker said.
At one of the polling stations in the New Kru Town community where tension unprecedentedly went high during the first round, observers say the system was well organized. "Before a voter is allowed in, he or she has to first display his/her voting card to a police officer and that of the NEC posted at the entrance of the polling center," said voter Tinneh Doe.
Having shown the voter's card to the first two officers, she said, the voter would then enter the voting area where another NEC officer is waiting to verify the precinct codes. Voters who spoke to our reporter minutes after casting their votes praised the commission "for putting in place proper mechanisms in the runoff."
A female voter said, "Everything went well, and I want to thank the NEC for doing a very good job." Reports from across the entire county speak of peaceful conduct of the elections, with the Commission taking the credit for doing a good job.
Our reporter who monitored one local radio station yesterday said the station quoted Dr. Mohammed Sheriff of the ruling Unity Party and Representative Forh of the Congress for Democratic Change as hailing NEC for the improved manner in which the runoff has been conducted. The two officials, being mindful of crediting the entire process as free and fair, said though it was too early, NEC has so far shown seriousness and demonstrated that it can do better in 2011.
It may be recalled that following the poor showing of the first round polling due to irregularities, which the US government blamed on lack of logistics, the Commission and its chairman, James Fromoyan, came under sharp criticisms from the ruling and opposition parties as well as ordinary Liberians.
Some, questioning Commissioner Fromoyan's ability to run the 2011 general and presidential elections if he could not handle the Montserrado County Senatorial By-Election, called for his immediate resignation and/or replacement. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, criticizing the Commission in a special statement for the poor conduct of the by-elections, called on the seven-member Commission to ensure that the runoff was free of irregularities.
NEC may have heeded public criticisms to achieve the marked improvement in the conduct of Tuesday's polls, but there are indications that not all is well. According to unsubstantiated reports, poll workers did discover a ballot at the Teta Community Polling Center, which was suspected to have been pre-marked by unknown person or persons. Poll workers were said, Tuesday, to be investigating the incident. But in the wake of the probe of the isolated but potentially explosive incident in Liberia's highly suspicious political atmosphere, observers say, the next issue of concern should be the low voters turnout.
Low Turnout
They say while it was easy to credit NEC for improved polling conditions and service, it was difficult to say the same thing about the reasons for the observed low turnout. This is because, they say, NEC is yet to release the official statistics regarding voters turnout in the run-off election between UP's Clemenceau Urey and CDC's Geraldine Doe-Sherif.
However, a limited sampling The Analyst conducted of voters and residents in some voting precincts yesterday suggested that voters' fatigue, and what analysts called the "one-dash factor in Liberia's electioneering politics," might be largely responsible for the poor turnout.
Our reporter who visited various polling centers in the capital and suburban voting precincts in Brewerville, Mount Barclay, and Bensonville said he has gathered that people suddenly simply lost interest in the election for various reasons.
According to him, some did not see the need to vote because their candidates lost in earlier polls while others said they did not vote because they felt the election would be rigged and that therefore the result would be the same irrespective of their votes. Still others stayed away because, according one response that seems to cut across the spectrum of self-denial, they just did not have the time.
"I can't be running up and down for someone and his or her family to enjoy tomorrow. I voted first and they canceled the elections. So, what I must do? If they get in office tomorrow, they will not know my children and me. Ahn we put Ellen there? What she doing for us?" one voter asked our reporter rhetorically.
Analysts say the response was typical of one that marred the November 2005 presidential run-off between President Sirleaf and CDC's George Manneh Weah.It is not clear whether it was the sudden lost of interest based on the one-dash approach to elections and electioneering, which analysts dubbed "the irony of Liberia electioneering politics," that caused Mr. Weah the closely contested presidency.
But observers recalled that by Election Day, after most of CDC's youthful and odd-bedfellow supporters had exhausted themselves in post-election street protests and demonstrations, they had no time to vote.
"Some lost their voters' cards while others simply wrapped themselves in the certainty that Weah would win, even if they did not vote," said Thomas Toe who said he served as poll observers during the 2005 run-off. This time around, the reason might not be as clear-cut. Some voters who spoke with this paper said the cause of the low turnout differ from precinct to precinct.
"Here outside the city, some people did not turn out because they have to go on the farm. They turned out in the first round and they have to return to their villages. Some found it difficult to come back again," said Solo Doe of Brewerville.
Back in the capital, Monrovia, many eligible voters have plenty of time with which to vote, but they chose to stay home and watch movie with family members or friends, or to go to beach for amusement rather than going to the polls to cast their votes. The government of Liberia had declared Tuesday a countywide holiday to provide opportunity for all eligible voters to cast their ballots.
Choosing to cast a ballot in any election in which one is previously qualified may be deemed a matter of personal choice, but analysts say unfortunately this personal choice is the undoing of electoral politics in Liberia.
They said most candidates in the past, whether is the 1955 election between Tubman and D. Tweh, the 1985 election between Samuel Doe and a horde of opposition parties, or the 2005 elections that ran into a run-off between Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and George Manneh Weah, rally size has made many a candidate to make fatal, critical judgment of poll results.
Liberians, they say, follow candidates in street rallies probably because they see it as fun; but as it comes closer to Election Day, they often ask critical rhetorical questions about their relationship to the candidates beyond Election Day.
Most often, according to analysts, the voter's rhetorical question comes back with negative answer, which is usually that he would gain nothing from the candidate when he becomes public official. As the result of this mentality, which analyst say pervades the population perhaps as the result of many years of predetermined national and local elections, it was difficult if not impossible to predict electoral outcomes in Liberia.
"The harder it is to predict electoral outcome, the more candidates will be pushed to declare early victories. And the more they do that, the more their supporters will believe them over what the Elections Commission will say. This is why in Liberia most lost elections are deemed rigged elections," said one observer.
He said if electioneering politics have to improve in Liberia as part of the peace process, NEC and the government of Liberia will have to institute civil education that largely emphasizes civic responsibility regarding the institution of a government through universal suffrage.
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Don't forget most of the people are very, very hungry and worn out intentionally by Sirleaf and co, so we must commend those who braved all the hardship of doing this twice to come out and be heard for the sake of Liberia.
Hats off to them!!! Thumbs down to Sirleaf and co.!!! Their plans of intentional deprivation and starvation did not dampen the spirit of a few brave souls.
Why people like come on the intellectual forum make fool out of yourself? If you feel you can do better than Sirleaf, why don't you throw your hat in the race for 2011. Maybe Taylor and Doe should still be in power so one like you can continue eating dogs and you know what!!!
Why people like you come on the intellectual forum make fool out of yourself? If you feel you can do better than Sirleaf, why don't you throw your hat in the race for 2011. Maybe Taylor and Doe should still be in power so one like you can continue eating dogs and you know what!!!
George Weah has learned that it worked for Taylor so it should work for him. His strategy is a new "You kill my mamma, you kill my papa, I vote for you". This time it's the threat of violence: he's threatening the NEC long before the election, and even after his candidate has won. Now what kind of mentality.
George Weah is an obstacle to CDC growth as a political force. You probably think you have suceeded, but this is as far as CDC wil go in Liberia with that KInd of mentality; you can't keep threatening forever. At some point, you have to show the leadership that matters.
I look forward to seeing that happen, but I am not holding my breath.
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