-As Diaspora Liberians Demand the Right to Vote by Absentee Ballot
The National Elections Commission of Liberia will, on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 11 a.m., hear oral arguments into a Class Action filed by and on behalf all Liberians living in the diaspora, seeking their right to be registered while outside Liberia, and to vote by absentee ballot. On November 4, 2022, Mrs. Ysindi Martin Kpei, Dr. Francien Chenoweth Richardson, Madame Amanda Wright and Madam Elouise Page, all of the United States of America, represented by the Public Interest Law and Advocacy Center (PILAC), filed a petition for themselves and on behalf of all Liberians of voting age, residing outside of Liberia, against the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC).
In their Petition, Madams Kpei, Richardson, Wright and Page prayed for an order directing and mandating the National Election Commission (NEC) of Liberia to establish mechanisms and procedures to enable petitioners and all similarly situated Liberian citizens residing outside Liberia, to be registered overseas as voters in the places where they currently reside outside of Liberia; and to enable them to vote overseas by absentee ballots, consistent with Article 80 (c) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution.
The Petitioners contend that the rights of Liberian citizens to be “registered to vote at a voter registration center established by the NEC for the place where he or she ordinarily resides….” in compliance with Section 3.1 (c) of the New Elections Law amended (2014), and their right to vote in person or by absentee ballot, consistent with Article 80 (c) of the Liberian Constitution of 1986, is an indispensable foundation for ensuring democratic governance and citizens’ participation; and the failure and refusal of the NEC to create favorable condition for the exercise of Petitioners’ have denied them the right to elect the leaders of their country, deprived them of right to institute, reform and alter the form of their government when their happiness and safety so required; ensure democratic government which respond to their wishes, and cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections, in complete violation of Article 1 of the 1986 Constitution.
