-- "While Liberia's elections have been mostly peaceful recently, the survey findings illustrate a notable level of apprehension among respondents regarding potential election-related violence or disruptions in Liberia, especially with reported pre-election violence in some areas," Geopoll says.
A GeoPoll survey has revealed that Liberians' confidence in the October 10 elections is far from uniform, with a significant portion of the population believing that the election outcome will not be 'fair and transparent.'
Among the key findings: 30.5% of respondents expressed that they were "not very confident" in the fairness and transparency of the elections. About 10.2% also claimed to be "not confident at all," and 19.8% were only "Somewhat confident," the survey finds.
These statistics, according to GeoPoll, indicate that a significant portion of the population harbors some reservations about the October 10 polls despite its immense significance for the nation's democratic journey.
"The survey findings reveal that opinions on this matter are diverse among the Liberian population," GeoPoll says. "The largest segment of the respondents (30.5%) said they are 'Not very confident' in the fairness and transparency of the election process.
"Combined with the 10.2% who said they are 'Not confident at all' and 19.8% who are only 'Somewhat confident,' it indicates a significant segment of the population with reservations about the upcoming elections. It is encouraging to observe that 39.51% of respondents displayed varying degrees of confidence, including 18.05% who were 'very confident.'
GeoPoll added that Liberians perceived lack of trust in the electoral process, among other concerns, "will need to be addressed by electoral authorities, civil society organizations, and international observers to build more public confidence in the election," which is just a few days away.
The finding of the GeoPoll survey is, however, similar to the outcome of an Abromometer survey released earlier this year, which revealed that public trust in the National Elections Commission was declining.
The Abromometer, which is a pan-African, nonpartisan network, paints a grim picture of the state of trust in the electoral body.
"Only one-third (34%) of Liberians say they trust the National Elections Commission 'somewhat' or 'a lot,' a decline of 10 percentage points since 2018, Afrobarometer notes.
Meanwhile, the GeoPoll survey has also revealed that the issues of election-related violence and disruptions as other major concerns raised by Liberians.
A whopping 70.98% of respondents, the survey finds expressed being "very concerned" about the prospect of election-related violence and disruptions -- showing a prevailing sense of unease within the population.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Also, about 19.27% of the respondents noted being "concerned," while a small fraction of 1.46% indicated they were "not concerned at all."
"While Liberia's elections have been mostly peaceful recently, the survey findings illustrate a notable level of apprehension among respondents regarding potential election-related violence or disruptions in Liberia, especially with reported pre-election violence in some areas."
"A substantial 70.98% of respondents expressed being 'very concerned' about this issue, indicating a prevailing sense of unease about the possibility of disturbances during the elections," the survey finds. "An additional 19.27% reported being 'concerned,' highlighting a high level of overall concern within the population. Only a small fraction, 1.46%, indicated they were 'not concerned at all.'
The survey results, GeoPoll noted, underscore the importance of the government ensuring a secure and peaceful electoral environment, "as election-related violence and disruptions can have far-reaching consequences on the democratic process and the well-being of citizens."
"Addressing these concerns," the survey noted, "is essential to uphold the integrity of "the electoral process and promote citizen confidence in Liberia's democracy," the survey said.
