In its early preparation, the NEC is seeking to improve upon the morale of the 2023 elections, which were widely acclaimed as free, fair, and credible.
Monrovia, November 4, 2024: The National Elections Commission (NEC) is considering early preparations for the 2029 Presidential and Legislative Elections, ensuring a more organized, efficient, and participatory process.
The NEC's early 2029 preparation aims to improve the morale from the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections in Liberia, which local and international observers widely acclaimed as free, fair, and credible.
To achieve this, NEC Executive Director Mr. Anthony Sengbe has highlighted certain activities it must focus on during this period.
He cited periodic redistribution of electoral boundaries as necessary in any representative system where single-member districts are used.
The NEC Executive Director highlighted the conduct of electoral constituency boundary delimitation/redistricting in compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Legal and Regulatory Framework of Liberia as a key electoral activity to implement.
"The results of the delimitation could eventually lead to the increase in the number of registration centers or polling precincts, thereby taking Elections to the people," Mr. Sengbe said.
Further, he cited the development of a new six-year strategic plan.
Mr. Sengbe argued that this plan will guide the implementation of all roadmaps in the electoral cycle, a recurrent activity usually undertaken by the NEC every six years.
According to him, one activity to consider at this point is the development of an improved and comprehensive electoral law reform agenda.
Mr. Sengbe explained that this will enhance the credibility of the electoral process.
"The Commission has already developed a roadmap and an agenda for reform," he noted.
"Consequently, it is expected that the Commission will hold consultations with electoral stakeholders to obtain their input and support to the reform agenda," he pointed out.
The NEC Executive Director also suggested that the professional administration of elections depends on a team of knowledgeable and well-trained managers equipped to tackle the challenges of such large-scale operations.
He recalled that since the 2005 Elections in Liberia, the use of elections as instruments for governance and societal decision-making has significantly expanded within the Liberia electoral landscape.
He added that Liberia made significant progress when the NEC migrated from optical mark recognition to a biometric registration system.
Sengbe, who has spent years at the Commission, detailed that building on the successes achieved during the 2023 elections is an important opportunity to identify areas for improvement and ways to strengthen the electoral framework while citing the use of technological solutions like authentication of voters on Election Day.
"One of the most complex tasks for any electoral management body (EMB) is the creation and maintenance of an accurate register of eligible voters," he said.
Mr. Sengbe, currently in the United States to observe that country's election stated that a biometric voter registration system effectively fulfills this role by serving as a robust tool for detecting duplicate registrations.
He stressed the importance of recognizing that biometric voter registration's sole purpose is to identify and deter duplicate registrations.
During the 2023 electoral process, the NEC said manual verification of voters was done on Election Day.
Sengbe added that introducing a biometric authentication device (verifiers) will improve the electoral process in future elections.
He said the goal is to incorporate more modern authentication technologies going forward, which would enhance the overall integrity, efficiency, and credibility of future elections in Liberia.
"Maintaining and Upgrading Software Systems will require adopting appropriate technologies that will address the registration of candidates without the candidates appearing at the Nomination Center and developing special accreditation portals for Observers, Party Agents, and Media Representatives."
According to him, using technology in elections will improve the processes by making them more accurate and credible.
"Technology can increase administrative efficiency, reduce long-term costs, and enhance transparency," he said, adding, "These activities aim to enhance the Commission's understanding of electoral processes, foster collaboration among other EMBs, promote the exchange of best practices and lessons learned, and (BRIDGE) Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) training.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
These ideals are consistent with the objectives of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) and in line with international best practices."
Sengbe stated that setting up an electoral fund is imperative to ensure the timely availability of funds for the 2029 elections.
By initiating this process early, the government and its partners can facilitate the process of raising funds for the 2029 Elections over a period rather than waiting until the Election Year.
Overall, by initiating the process early, Sengbe believes that an Electoral Fund can provide numerous advantages in terms of enhancing financial planning, increasing fundraising opportunities, reducing the Election-Year burden, and facilitating long-term development.
He added that this will contribute to the smooth conduct of the 2029 elections, as he anticipates thorough Electoral Reform legislation that will integrate these perspectives.
