IPNEWS: Unity Party’s Joseph N. Boakai continue to lead incumbent president George Manneh Weah with 50.80%, constituting 99.58% of total votes count from Tuesday, November 14, runoff election.
Boakai for the third day of releasing preliminary results from the Presidential Runoff Election by the National Elections Commission’s (NEC), accumulated a total vote of 814,212, constituting 50.80% while former football great and incumbent Goerge Manneh Weah with 785,778 votes, constituting 49.11%.
The total votes accumulated now see the former vice president Joseph N. Boakai of the Unity Party with a difference of 28,434 votes constituting 1.69% above Goerge Manneh Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
In SINOE COUNTY, out of a total 152 of 152, constituting 100%; Joseph N. Boakai received 5,354 constituting 16.62%, while Goerge Manneh Weah received 26,860 constituting 83.38%.
In RIVERCESS COUNTY, out of a total 105 of 105 constituting 100%, Joseph N. Boakai received 5,220 constituting 25.12, while Goege Manneh Weah received 15,559, constituting 74.88%.
For GRAND BASSA COUNTY, out of a total 405 of 405 constituting 100%, Joseph N. Boakai received 36,816 constituting 45.61%, while Goerge Manneh Weah received 43,911—54.39%.
RIVER GEE COUNTY, out of a total of 98 of 98 constituting 100%, Joseph N. Boakai received 4,686—19.86%, while George Manneh Weah received 18,906, constituting 80.14%
In MARYLAND COUNTY, out of the total of 75 of 75 received 100%, received 7,057—16.64%, while George Manneh Weah received 35,355–83.36%.
In GRAND KRU COUNTY, a stronghold of incumbent President Goerge Manneh Weah, out of a total 86 of 110 constituting 78.18%, Joseph N. Boakai received 2,425 constituting 10.35%, while George Manneh Weah received 21,011, constituting 89.65%
GRAND GEDEH COUNTY, out of a total of 163 of 163 constituting 100%, Joseph N. Boakai received 4,218 constituting 9.71%, while George Manneh Weah received 9,212 constituting 90.29%
In western Liberia, GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY, out of a total of 213 of 213, constituting 100%, Josph N. Boakai received 24,374, constituting 52.0%, while Weah received 22,465, constituting 47.96%.
In Northern Liberia county of NIMBA, home to former warlord Prince Johnson, now Nimba Senator, out of a total of 735 of 736, constituting 99.86%, Boakai received 144,593, constituting 74.13%, while Weah received 50,449, constituting 25.87%.
GBARPOLU COUNTY, out of a total of 134 of 134, constituting 100%, Boakai received 15,562—52.80%, while Weah got 13,909, constituting 47.0%.
In MONTSERRADO COUNTY, which host the nation’s capital city, out of a total 2008 of 2008, constituting 100%, Boakai received 336,821, constituting 51.74%, while Weah received 314,188, constituting 48.26%; MARGIBI COUNTY, out of 441 of 441 precinct constituting 100%, Boakai received 64,160, constituting 53.99%, while Weah received 54,676, constituting 46.01%.
In BONG COUNTY, out of a total of 555 of 555, constituting 100%, Boakai received 64,194—–47.08%, Weah received 72,159, constituting 52.92%.
In LOFA COUNTY, the home of Unity Party’s Joseph N. Boakai, out of a total of 424 of 424, constituting 100%, Boakai received 75,378—-64.60%, Weah received 41,298, constituting 35.40%; BOMI COUNTY, out of a total of 171 of 171, constituting 100%, Boakai received 23,359, constituting 59.62%, while Weah received 5,820, constituting 40.38%.
On yesterday, Thursday, November 16, Joseph Boakai for the second day of releasing preliminary results from the Presidential Runoff Election, maintained the lead of the opposition Unity Party whose standard bearer is the former Vice President of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Mr. Joseph Nyuma Boakai widened his narrow lead from Wednesday following the Tuesday, November 14, 2023 Presidential Runoff Election.
According to the NEC, the former Veep has so far gotten 712,741 votes, constituting 50.58% of the total valid votes cast in the runoff election. The NEC says President George Manneh Weah, who is fighting to maintain his position, has so far obtained 696,520 votes, constituting 49.42%.
These results are coming from 5,107 polling places of the total of 5,890 polling places, nationally. The percentage for the 5,107 polling places is 86.71. The NEC still has 783 polling places to announce.
In its announcement on Wednesday, November 15, the NEC said the former Vice President had obtained 712,741 constituting 50.58%, while the incumbent President, George Manneh Weah, got 696,520 constituting 49.42%. The difference in votes between both men is 16,221.
The thing about the runoff result is simple majority. While the percentage is important to look at, but one doesn’t need to focus on it when one wants to know who has won. One needs to look at the number of votes that either of the two candidates has got or is getting as the tally goes on. In this case, both Weah and Boakai may end up getting the same percentage in the end but the person with the most votes will be declared the President of Liberia.
Of that number of polling places counted so far, the total votes cast in those places as released by the NEC are 1,431,388, and this constitutes 57.91%.
Out of Liberia’s 15 political subdivisions and from the number of polling places announced so far, Boakai has managed to get his lead in some of the populated counties, including Lofa (75,373 votes, constituting 64.60%). In this county, which is Boakai’s stronghold, he leads Weah with more than 34,000 votes. Another county that is giving Boakai more votes is Montserrado (299,098, constituting 51.37%). Though the former Vice President still leads this county, which is the microcosm of the larger Liberian society, it is, however, still very tight as Weah has gotten 283,174 votes, constituting 48.16%. The NEC has released election results from 1,801 polling places of the total of 2,008 polling places in the county. Historically, the incumbent doesn’t rely on this county to win any national election as it has always gone the way of the opposition. Another county that Boakai is wining bigly at the moment is Nimba (109,694 votes, constituting 71.57%). So far, the votes difference in favor of Boakai is 66,130; while the NEC still has 156 polling places in the county to call. One county that gave the former Vice President more votes on Wednesday was Gbarpolu. However, the Chairperson of the NEC, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah and her co of Commissioners didn’t give any results from that county today. “You noticed that we have not read Gbarpolu, and that is because the results just came in as we were walking in [to the hall] so we will read Gbarpolu tomorrow,” Chairperson Lansanah disclosed.
One region that the President seems to be winning bigly is the Southeastern Region, which contains five counties but having very small voting population and whose total numbers can’t make any significant difference when for example Nimba alone decides to give more than 90 percent of its votes to Boakai. In the entire Southeast, 114 polling places are yet to be called while Nimba and Lofa Counties, which have given Boakai more numbers so far, have 158 polling places left to be announced.
The Runoff Election came about when none of the 20 individuals, who had vied for the Presidency could not obtain 50 percent plus one vote as required by Liberia’s Constitution.
After Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah had announced the final results of the first round of the elections, which was held on October 10, 2023, she said the Constitution says that if none of those taking part in a national presidential election, got 50 percent+1, then the first two with the highest numbers of votes will square off in a runoff in order to determine the next president.
Twenty individuals, including 19 men and a woman, had wrestled for Liberians’ votes to be their next leader. Weah, who is the incumbent had obtained 804,087, constituting 43.83%; while Boakai obtained 796,961, constituting 43.44%. Even though Weah got 7,126 votes more than his rival, he still didn’t qualify to be declared the next president of Liberia. The percentage margin between both men is 0.39.
The NEC Chairperson based her reliance on Article 83B of the Liberian Constitution: “All elections of public officers shall be determined by an absolute majority of the votes cast. If no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first ballot, a second ballot shall be conducted on the second Tuesday following. The two candidates who received the greatest numbers of votes on the first ballot shall be designated to participate in the runoff election.”
According to the NEC, of the 2,471,617 Liberians, who had registered to vote in the elections, 1,949,155 (78.86%) participated. It is yet unclear how many Liberians voted in the Runoff Election as results are still being tallied.
