2005 Liberian general election

Liberian elections in 2005 mark the end of the transition following Liberia's second civil war. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former World Bank employee and finance minister, has won the presidential contest and will become the first democratically-elected female Head of State in the history of the African Continent.

Since the resignation and departure into exile of President Charles Taylor in August 2003, the country has been led by a transitional government as part of a deal to end the war.

Important dates and regulations

Frances Johnson-Morris, the chairwoman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), announced the October 11 date on February 7, 2005.¹

The House of Representatives of the new Legislature will have 64 seats; each of Liberia's 15 counties will have two seats, and the remaining 34 seats will be allotted proportionally based on voter registration.⁵ The Senate will have 30 seats.

George Weah

Prior to the election, former football star George Weah was considered by many to be the favorite, due at least partially to widespread dissatisfaction with Liberia's politicians. Weah, who had been the subject of a petition published in September 2004 urging him to run,³ announced his candidacy in mid-November 2004 and received a hero's welcome when he arrived in Monrovia later in the month.⁴ Weah won the 1st round of voting and appears to have lost in the November 8, 2005 run-off. He has filed formal fraud charges.

Excluded candidates

These are Liberia's first elections since a victory by Taylor and his National Patriotic Party in the July 1997 elections, which some did not consider fully free and fair. The chairman of the transitional government, Gyude Bryant, and other members of the transitional government will not run, according to the terms of the peace deal.

On August 13, the election commission published a list of 22 presidential candidates who were cleared to run; six candidates were rejected, but Weah was cleared to stand despite complaints that he had adopted French citizenship. The Senate seats were contested by 206 candidates and the seats in the lower house were contested by 503 candidates. [1] Campaigning for the elections began on August 15.

In late September, the Supreme Court ruled that two excluded presidential candidates, Marcus Jones and Cornelius Hunter, and an excluded legislative candidate could register to run; this ruling created the possibility that the elections would have to be postponed in order to reprint ballot papers. However, these candidates later withdrew their bids, so the elections went ahead on schedule on October 11.⁶

Presidential candidates

Nathaniel Barnes — Liberian Destiny Party (LDP) Charles Brumskine — Liberty Party (LP) Sekou Conneh — Progressive Democratic Party (PRODEM) Samuel Raymond Divine — Independent David Farhat — Free Democratic Party (FDP) Armah Jallah — National Party of Liberia (NPL) Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf — Unity Party (UP) George Kiadii — National Vision Party of Liberia (NATVIPOL) George Klay Kieh — New Deal Movement (NDM) Joseph Korto — Liberia Equal Rights Party (LERP) Robert Kpoto — Union of Liberian Democrats (ULD) Alhaji G.V. Kromah — All Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP)

Roland Massaquoi — National Patriotic Party (NPP) John Morlu — United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Alfred Reeves — National Reformation Party (NRP) Varney Sherman — Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia (COTOL) Togba-Nah Tipoteh — Alliance for Peace and Democracy (APD) Margaret Tor-Thompson — Freedom Alliance Party of Liberia (FAPL) Winston Tubman — National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) William V.S. Tubman, Jr. — Reformed United Liberia Party (RULP) George Weah — Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Joseph Woah-Tee — Labor Party of Liberia (LPL)

Results

First round presidential map showing the winners of each county and their percentages

Presidential elections

Voting took place in two rounds 11 October and 8 November. Twenty-two people contested the presidential race in the first round. George Weah, former soccer star and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former World Bank employee and finance minister finished first and second, respectively and advanced to the second round run-off, which Johnson-Sirleaf won 59%-41%, according to the National Electoral Commission.

Weah has begun to claim election fraud, stating elections officials were stuffing ballot boxes in Johnson-Sirleaf's favor. Most elections observers, including those from the United Nations, the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States, say that the election was clean and transparent. The Carter Center observed "minor irregularities" but no major problems. Johnson-Sirleaf reminded the press that Weah has 72 hours to bring evidence of wrongdoing to her campaign according to Liberian law, calling the accusations "lies" and stating that Weah's supporters "just don't want a woman to be President in Africa." [2]

Assuming Weah concedes and no legal challenge is brought, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will become the first democratically-elected female Head of State in the history of the African Continent, and the first female African Head of State since Empress Zauditu, who ruled Ethiopia from 1916 to 1930. Template:Liberian presidential election, 2005

Legislative elections

Summary of the 11 Octgober 2005 Liberian parliamentary election results

House votes	%	House seats	Senate votes	%	Senate seats
Congress for Democratic Change			15			3
Liberty Party			9			3
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia Liberian Action Party Liberia Unification Party People's Democratic Party of Liberia True Whig Party			8			7
Unity Party			8			3
Alliance for Peace and Democracy Liberian People's Party United People's Party			5			3
National Patriotic Party			4			4
New Deal Movement			3			-
All Liberia Coalition Party			2			1
National Democratic Party of Liberia			1			2
National Reformation Party			1			1
United Democratic Alliance Liberia National Union Liberia Education and Development Party Reformation Alliance Party			1			-
Independents			7			3
Total			64			30

References

1. Agence France-Presse (AFP), "Liberia to hold elections October 11", February 7, 2005.
2. Manchester Evening News, "President George", February 19, 2005.
3. AFP, "Football legend George Weah urged to stand for Liberian presidency", October 3, 2004.
4. Terence Sesay, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, "Presidential candidate Weah takes Monrovia by storm", November 24, 2004.
5. AFP, "Liberia electoral reform bill signed into law", December 17, 2004.
6. Deutsche Presse-Agentur, "Two Liberian candidates stand down to prevent delay of election", October 6, 2005.

• http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/13132018.htm
• http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1866394,00.html

External links

General Information

• National Elections Commission
• Liberia 2005: The Road to Democracy
• United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Electoral Division
• United Liberia - Latest News
• Press Freedom Conditions in Liberia - IFEX
• All Africa, Liberia news

Candidates

• Ellen for President
• Nat Barnes for President
• Charles Brumskine Campaign Site
• Samuel Raymond Divine Campaign Site
• John Morlu for President
• Varney Sherman for President
• Dr. Togba-Nah Tipoteh for President
• Winston Tubman Campaign Site
• George Weah Campaign Site

Political parties

• Congress for Democratic Change
• Unity Party

Articles

• I am woman, hear my roar Katharine Houreld on the participation of women in the 2005 Liberian election.