The National Elections Commission (NEC) has declared officially open campaigning for the by-elections in Sinoe and Montserrado counties.
Addressing a news conference at the commission’s headquarters in Sinkor Wednesday, NEC Co-Chairman, Cllr. Sarah M. Toe, said the campaign period runs from Wednesday, October 17 to midnight on November 18.
Cllr. Toe urged candidates in the by-elections to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the campaign and refrain from violence in keeping with the laws of Liberia.
She called on candidates to submit their campaign schedules to the Election Magistrates to avoid conflict during the campaign.
The two by-elections were prompted by Montserrado County District #13 Representative Sahr Joseph winning the county’s Senatorial seat to replace Senator George Weah who won the 2017 Presidential election, and the appointment of Sinoe County Senator Joseph Nagbe as Associate Justice of the Supreme by President Weah to replace retired Associate Justice Philip A. Z. Banks.
The NEC Co-Chairman disclosed that the Commission has recruited 36 Civic Educators and Gender Mobilizers for the by-elections in the two counties which are expected to be held on November 20.
According to Toe, training for the civic educators and gender mobilizers will begin October 18 and deployment follows on October 20.
She said once deployed, the civic educators and gender mobilizers will provide door-to-door information on the by-elections to residents of the two areas where the by-elections will to be held.
She stressed that the Civic and Voter Education Section will on October 22 begin consultations with relevant stakeholders in the areas where the by-elections are scheduled to be held.
“These consultations are intended to create awareness and mobilize citizens to turn out to vote in the by-elections on November 20,” she said.
Meanwhile, Madam Toe has disclosed that the Commission on October 15 received a complaint from one Mohammed Massaquoi, a resident of Montserrado District #13 against Mr. Sepo Sando Moore.
In the complaint, Massaquoi contended that Moore has not been domiciled in Montserrado District #13 for one year prior to the by-election as required by law and that he is not a registered voter.
She said the complaint has been forwarded to the Independent Hearing Officer for adjudication.
LINA
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