In just a few days, voters in Nimba County will go to the polls to choose a new senator, someone to take the seat left vacant by the late Prince Yormie Johnson. It is a crowded race, with six men and only one woman on the ballot. Yet, that one woman--Edith Gongloe-Weh--stands not just for herself, but for every woman and girl in Nimba and across Liberia who dares to believe that leadership should reflect all of us.
But here's the plain truth: even though Edith is the only woman in the race, women hold the key to the outcome of this election. According to the National Elections Commission, Nimba County has more female registered voters--155,374 women compared to 151,917 men. That's right. There are more registered women voters in Nimba than men. And nationwide, women also outnumber men among registered voters.
So, the big question is: do Nimba women not know they have the numbers to win?
For too long, women in Liberia have faced challenge after challenge just to be taken seriously in politics. Some are told they talk too much. Others are told to stay in the kitchen. Many are pushed out of decision-making spaces or forced to sit quietly while the men take over. This election has shown us, once again, how deep the bias runs. From online insults to traditional leaders saying only a man can fill a dead man's seat, the message to women has been clear: "Step aside."
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But this time, women are not stepping aside. They are standing up.
Across the country, women have launched a grassroots campaign to support Edith Gongloe-Weh. From villages and marketplaces to city corners, women are saying loud and clear: "We, too, deserve to lead." In Monrovia, they've placed a donation box at the Invincible Park and are raising money to support Edith's campaign--to hire poll watchers, to protect the votes, and to make sure their voices are heard. These are not rich women or politicians looking for favors. They are ordinary women who want change.
Victoria Koiquah, who ran in Montserrado in 2023, summed it up best: "This is our box. This is where we will put our money." She knows what it's like to be a woman in politics, to run a campaign in a system that tries to silence women before they even speak.
It's important to understand what's at stake here. Nimba has never elected a female senator in the modern era. Not since Catherine Cummings in the 1980s. This generation of women has never seen someone like them at the Senate table. But Edith Gongloe-Weh has kept showing up--on the ballot in 2011, again in 2014, in 2020, and now in 2025. She's a fighter, not just for herself, but for every girl who dreams of doing something bigger.
The resistance she faces is not just political--it's cultural. Some traditional leaders have gone as far as to say that a woman cannot take over the seat of a male "Zoe." Let them show us where in Liberia's Constitution does it say that a legislative seat should be restricted to a certain gender. That is not law. That is not in Liberia's Constitution. And that is not democracy.
Let's face it: elections in Liberia are often more about tribe and family name than about vision or plans. And that is a major reason why, even though Nimba is one of the most powerful counties in the country--politically and economically--it has never produced a president. The mindset of excluding women from leadership is part of the problem. You cannot move forward while holding half the population back.
So here is a message for the women of Nimba: You have the numbers. You are the majority. And this election is your opportunity to prove that you are not just voters--you are leaders. Voting is not just about choosing who gets to speak for you. It's about deciding the kind of future you want.
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If you want a future where laws protect women, where budgets include women, where decisions reflect your lives--then you must vote for someone who understands what it means to walk in your shoes.
Edith Gongloe-Weh is not perfect. No politician is. But she is the only one in this race who knows what it's like to be told "you can't" and to keep going anyway. Her courage, her persistence, and her commitment to public service make her a symbol of what is possible when women lead.
This Tuesday, Nimba's women have a chance to change history. Not just for Edith. Not just for Nimba. But for every girl who looks at the ballot and sees her own name there someday.
So rise up. Speak loud. And vote. The numbers are on your side. Now let your voice be, too.
