2005 Liberian general election

Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Liberia on October 11, 2005. The country has been led by a transitional government since October 2003—which took office following the resignation and departure into exile of President Charles Taylor in August 2003, as part of a deal to end the country's second civil war—and these elections will mark the end of the transition.

Frances Johnson Morris, the chairwoman of the national electoral commission, announced the October 11 date on February 7, 2005. She also said that candidates would have until August 15 to apply to run, and a list of candidates would be published in late August. Campaigning for the elections is scheduled to begin in September 2005. As of February, 18 parties have registered, and more than 30 people are expected to run for president.

These will be Liberia's first elections since a victory by Taylor and his National Patriotic Party in the July 1997 elections. 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.

Reference

• Agence France-Presse, "Liberia to hold elections October 11", February 7, 2005.