Monrovia,Liberia: The National Elections Commission says it has completed the recruitment of electoral polling staff to conduct the senatorial by-elections in Montserrado and Bong Counties on July 31, 2018.
At news conference on Monday, NEC Chairman Jerome Korkoyah said a team of civic educators is currently rolling pre-election messages aimed at creating awareness for Liberians to turn out for the July 31 polls.
“Thirty-five are in Montserrado while 42 are deployed in Bong County. These Civic Educators are mobilizing voters to turn out on July 31 and at the same time putting up reading materials such as posters, banners and fliers across the counties.”
“Seventy-Eight Data Center Staff were recruited to beef up the strength of Data Center personnel. In addition to Data Center Staff, the NEC recruited 148 Electoral Supervisors and 12,956 polling staff including Presiding officers, Voter Identification Officers, Ballot
Paper Issuer, Inker/Ballot Box Controller and Queue Controller. Training for these staff will commence on Tuesday, July 24, 2018
in the two counties.”
In addition to civic educators deployed in the field, the NEC says, it is in collaboration with IFES, which has produced jingles and dramas which are being aired on a number of radio stations in Bong and Montserrado Counties.
Chairman Kokoyah also disclosed that the commission has hired the services of the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives to conduct debate for candidates contesting the by-elections in the two counties.
“LMDI has held series of town hall meetings and debates in Bong County. The group commence its work in Montserrado and as we speak, political debate among the seven candidates are ongoing in Brewerville City, Montserrado County. The CVE activities will be
climaxed on Friday July 27, 2018 in Browerville City Montserrado
County,” he said
Meanwhile, Chairman Korkoyah has also indicated that the commission is yet to receive any case relating to elections violence, thus terming the ongoing campaign process as peaceful so far.
In closing, the NEC Boss extended thanks to the Government of Liberia for its support to the By-election. We also want to thank our international partners for remaining engaged with the Commission, and further called on all registered voters in the two counties to turn out on Tuesday to vote in the By-elections.
