The National Election Commission [NEC] has refuted media reports of "poor turnout" by eligible voters in the just ended Montserrado County district #11 By-Election. At least 33, 800 eligible voters registered to vote in the district #11 by- election.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of Moses Saah Tandapolie who died while attending a Legislative retreat in Bong County. Turnout, at most of the polling centers including the E.J. Goodridge High School, Sis. Shirley Kolmer Catholic School and Grace Baptist School, according to reports, was poor.

The poor turnout, the reports added, was blamed on the heavy down pour of rain and apparent voter apathy. But NEC Communication Director, Mr. Joey Kennedy, told state radio [ELBC) Wednesday, July 4, 2012 that reports of poor turnout by voters were premature.

In the absence of a tallied result conducted by NEC technicians, he said it will be wrong to report poor turnout as a result of the election. Mr. Kennedy, who admitted that the process [voting] got to a slow pace on account of the heavy down poor of rain, contended that one cannot determine poor turnout without the votes being tallied.

He said the process of tallying of votes has since begun and final results from the by-election would be released today, Thursday, July 5, 2012. He said the release of the final result of the by-election would be occasioned by the presentation of certificate to the winner of the election. The Montserrado County district # 11 by election was fiercely contested by 11 candidates.