2009 Liberian by-elections

none The 2009 Liberian by-elections were held by mid February and on November 10 in River Gee County and Montserrado County respectively. Both elections were caused by deaths in the Senate and both resulted in run-off elections. The Montserrado County run-off election was held on November 24. The winners of the elections were Nathaniel J. Williams in River Gee and Geraldine Doe-Sheriff in Montserrado. Background River Gee County By mid November 2008, River Gee County Senator Isaac Nyenekarto Johnson of the Liberian Action Party (LAP) died.https://allafrica.com/stories/200811171165.html Liberia: Lap Mourns Colleague's Death AllAfrica Inquirer Newspaper November 15, 2008 August 24, 2024 The Senate officially notified the National Elections Commission (NEC) of his death by December.https://allafrica.com/stories/200812110958.html Liberia: Senate Notifies NEC AllAfrica Inquirer Newspaper December 11, 2008 August 24, 2024 There were seven candidates in the election: Nathaniel J. Williams of the Liberia Destiny Party, Conmany B. Wesseh of the Unity Party, Hixenbaugh Kear Darbeh of the LAP, Patrick T. Dexter of the Congress for Democratic Change, Edmund B. Gibson Jr. of the National Patriotic Party, P. Tarpowah Dortu Kear of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy as well as independent candidate Jonathan Boy Charles Sogbie.https://results.necliberia.org/results2005/Senate/Results_42002009.php 2005 Election Results National Elections Commission 2009 August 24, 2024 Montserrado County Montserrado Senator Hannah G. Brent of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) died on August 3, 2009.https://www.tlcafrica2.com/death_brent_hannah.htm Hon. Hannah G. Brent, Junior Senator of Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia TLC Africa 2009 August 24, 2024 The National Elections Commission (NEC) was notified of her death on September 1. The by-election to fill the vacancy left by Brent's death was slated for November 10. The 53rd Legislature had experienced the most deaths in Liberia's history, with there being two vacancies in the Senate filled before Brent's death. The Montserrado by-election was the largest of these by-elections, and the largest election the NEC conducted since the 2005 general election. Montserrado is Liberia's most populous county, with a high population density. This presented challenges for the NEC.https://allafrica.com/stories/200909180391.html Liberia: NEC Prepares for Montserrado County Senatorial By-Election AllAfrica The Informer September 17, 2009 August 24, 2024 Out of eleven prospective candidates, there were ten candidates nominated for the Senate seat by October 14, when campaigning official began. One candidate was rejected by the NEC, Musu Ketter, as her check to pay registration fees bounced.https://allafrica.com/stories/200910160580.html Liberia: By-Election Battle Begins -NEC Passes 10 Candidates AllAfrica The Informer October 15, 2009 August 24, 2024 By September, Francis Chu-Chu Horton was petitioned by the National Democratic Party of Liberia to run for the office, but he rejected the offer.https://allafrica.com/stories/200909291094.html Liberia: Chu-Chu Horton Rejects Senatorial Petition AllAfrica The Informer September 29, 2009 August 24, 2024 Half of the candidates were nominated by political parties and the other half were independents. At this time, the ruling Unity Party (UP) was going through a merger with the Liberian Action Party (LAP) and the Liberia Unification Party (LUP). The merger was announced on April 1, but it wouldn't be finalized until January 2010. On September 22, the political alliance selected its nominee. The two candidates in the running to be nominated were Clemenceau B. Urey of the UP, an insurance businessman who defeated George Kilando in the UP primary, and Meima Sirleaf Karneh of the LUP, assistant commerce minister.https://allafrica.com/stories/200909221236.html Liberia: LAP-LUP-UP Merger Decides Bye-Election Runner Today AllAfrica The Informer September 22, 2009 August 24, 2024 Urey was ultimately nominated as the UP candidate. The opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) nominated Geraldine Doe-Sheriff. By late October, the former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) announced its endorsement of Doe-Sheriff.https://allafrica.com/stories/200910271079.html Liberia: NPP Joins Ranks With CDC - Pushes Doe-Sheriff for Senator AllAfrica The Informer October 27, 2009 August 24, 2024 This sparked division within the NPP, combined with the extended term of the party's leader, Theophelus Gould. The announcement of the endorsement was shortly followed by the resignation of a member of the NPP national executive committee, John T. Richardson, who served as national security advisor under President Charles Taylor. Benoni Urey, an NPP party executive, claimed that the endorsement was made without the consensus of the party's leadership. He further claimed the national executive committee had agreed not to endorse a candidate for the 2009 by-election. Benoni Urey threatened to resign from the party, as did fellow party executives Cyril Allen and Oscar Cooper.https://allafrica.com/stories/200910281023.html Liberia: Wrangling Engulfs NPP - John T. Richardson Leaves; Urey Others Protest NPP Pledge to CDC AllAfrica The Analyst October 28, 2009 August 24, 2024 Clemenceau Urey and Doe-Sheriff, along with the Liberty Party's (LP) Abraham Darius Dillon, were considered the election's front-runners.https://reliefweb.int/report/liberia/liberia-monrovia-tests-elections-commission Liberia: Monrovia tests Elections Commission ReliefWeb November 10, 2009 August 24, 2024 Other candidates were Jasper S. Fallah Ndaborlor of the Free Democratic Party and Wilson Kargeor Tarpeh of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy who was also backed by the Liberian People's Party. The independent candidates were Daniel G. Johnson, Grace Tee McGill Kpaan, Nathaniel Semoda Toe Jr., Jacqueline Maulyne Capehart, and Alhaji G.V. Kromah.https://allafrica.com/stories/200910141068.html Liberia: LPP Backs Tarpeh's Senatorial Candidacy AllAfrica The Informer October 14, 2009 August 24, 2024 Two groups, the New Deal Movement and the National Students Intellectual Council Of Liberia, filed separate objections in regard to the candidacy of Kromah. Both objected on the grounds that he was an individual reported to have committed crimes against humanity in the civil war by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The NEC ruled that it was outside of its authority to rule on the criminal matter. There was a debate held between all ten candidates in late October.https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KMT6.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20161222210630/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00kmt6.pdf dead December 22, 2016 FINAL REPORT United States Agency for International Development March 31, 2015 August 24, 2024 15 Campaigning officially ended on November 8. Aftermath River Gee County The election was held by mid February. The results of the initial election showed Williams in the lead with 2,079 votes, 32.2% of the total, compared to Wesseh's 1,528. With no candidate earning 50% of the vote, a run-off election was held between the two top candidates. The run-off election saw Williams achieve victory with 3,498, 52.8% of the total.https://results.necliberia.org/results2005/Senate/Results_4200200901.php 2005 Election Results National Elections Commission 2009 August 24, 2024 Montserrado County The by-election was held on November 10. It was marred by irregularities and mistakes by the NEC which garnered them criticism, including by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.https://allafrica.com/stories/200911120980.html Liberia: It's Ellen Vs Weah With CDC's Threat of 'Severe Consequences' AllAfrica New Democrat November 12, 2009 August 24, 2024 Only a few of the polling centers opened on time. Voter turnout was low.https://allafrica.com/stories/200911110904.html Liberia: NEC Claims Mistake in Voters Registered AllAfrica New Democrat November 11, 2009 August 24, 2024 This was due in part to voter apathy, as well as poor civic education prior to the election. It was reported some voters were confused about where to voter, as some precinct centers had been merged in preparation for the 2011 general election. On November 11, preliminary results from 33 polling centers showed Urey ahead of Doe-Sheriff.Jerome Toe https://allafrica.com/stories/200911120923.html Liberia: Up Leads, CDC Follows in Preliminary Election Results AllAfrica The Informer November 12, 2009 August 24, 2024 By November 12, NEC Chairman James Fromayan claimed that he had received threats on his life from members of the CDC. CDC leader George Weah maintained that there had been cheating in the 2005 general election that cost him and his party the presidency. He had warned there would be consequences if such cheating happened again. The CDC denied that its members had threatened Fromayan.https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2009-11-16-voa5-70423217/415715.html Liberia's Elections Commissioner Receives Threats Voice of America November 18, 2009 August 24, 2024 The full results of the first round of the election were released by November 14. They showed Doe-Sheriff ahead of Urey. Doe-Sheriff did not receive over 50% of the vote, so a run-off election was triggered, scheduled for November 24. Fromayan had admitted that the election had not been conducted perfectly. By November 19, he had announced that the NEC was working with a group known as the Liberia Crusaders for Peace in an attempt spread civic education in hopes of increasing voter turnout for the second round of the election.https://allafrica.com/stories/200911190843.html Liberia: NEC Corrects Mistakes AllAfrica The Analyst November 19, 2009 August 24, 2024 The second round was held on November 24.https://allafrica.com/stories/200911250510.html Liberia: Poorest Voters' Show AllAfrica New Democrat November 25, 2009 August 24, 2024 On November 26, Doe-Sheriff was announced as the winner by the NEC.https://allafrica.com/stories/200911270841.html Liberia: Nec Officially Declares By-Elections Results AllAfrica The Analyst November 26, 2009 August 24, 2024 She was certificated by the NEC on December 1. During the certification ceremony, NEC Chairman Fromayan repeated claims that he had been threatened by CDC members. CDC leader Weah quickly rebutted these claims and called for Fromayan's resignation due to his alleged bias against the CDC.Festus Poquie https://allafrica.com/stories/200912020750.html Liberia: NEC, Weah At Odds AllAfrica New Democrat December 2, 2009 August 24, 2024 Results The following are the results for the 2009 by-elections from the NEC.https://results.necliberia.org/results2005/Senate/Results_30002009.php 2009 Election Results National Elections Commission 2009 August 24, 2024https://results.necliberia.org/results2005/Senate/Results_300020091.php 2009 Election Results National Elections Commission 2009 August 24, 2024 2009 River Gee County Senatorial By-election, Round 1 Nathaniel J. Williams Liberia Destiny Party 2079 Conmany B. Wesseh Unity Party 1528 Jonathan Boy Charles Sogbie Independent 1348 Hixenbaugh Kear Darbeh Liberian Action Party 650 Patrick T. Dexter Johnson Congress for Democratic Change 367 Edmund B. Gibson Jr. National Patriotic Party 295 #E1EC2C P. Tarpowah Dortu Kear Jr. Alliance for Peace and Democracy 183 379 2009 River Gee County Senatorial By-election, Round 2 Nathaniel J. Williams Liberia Destiny Party 3498 Conmany B. Wesseh Unity Party 3123 211 LDP gain from LAP 2009 Montserrado County Senatorial By-election, Round 1 Geraldine Doe-Sheriff Congress for Democratic Change 33874 Clemenceau Blayon Urey Unity Party 28329 Wilson Kargeor Tarpeh #E1EC2C Alliance for Peace and Democracy 15555 Alhaji G.V. Kromah Independent 6729 A. Darius Dillon Sr. Liberty Party 5418 Grace Tee McGill Kpaan Independent 2224 Jacqueline Maudlyne Capehart Independent 1244 Jasper S. Fallah Ndaborlor Free Democratic Party 1143 Daniel G. Johnson Independent 668 Nathaniel Semoda Toe Jr. Independent 278 2009 Montserrado Senatorial By-election, Round 2 Geraldine Doe-Sheriff Congress for Democratic Change 58384 Clemenceau Blayon Urey Unity Party 45864 1552 CDC hold References Liberian By-elections Category:By-elections in Liberia