2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS REGULATIONS

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

September 2022

1-0. Authority
- The National Elections Commission, pursuant to authority granted it by the Liberian Constitution as well as the Elections Law, hereby adopts and issues the following 2023 General Elections Regulations.
- 2-0. Applicability

2.1. These Regulations shall apply to the 2023 General Elections.

2.2. These Regulations shall not be construed to limit additional requirements imposed by any provisions of the Elections Law and/or relevant decisional law.

3-0. Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the “2023 General Elections Regulations”.

4-0. Definitions

4.1. The following words, terms and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them herein, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

“Application” means a request by a political party, coalition, or alliance or any aspirant/candidate to the Commission to stand in an Election;

“NEC or Commission” means the National Elections Commission;
“Aspirant” means any one canvasing for an elective public office.
“Candidate” means any individual who has been endorsed by a political party, coalition or alliance, or who runs as an independent candidate for an elective public office and has been duly accredited by the NEC.
“Domicile” means the residence in the constituency of an aspirant or candidate who seeks elective public office in which he/she lives and pays taxes;
“Residence” means the place where a voter, an aspirant or candidate lives;
“Alliance / Coalition” means two or more political parties working together for a particular political purpose.
“Political Party”means an association that has been duly registered/accredited by the NEC to function as a political party.

“Independent candidate” means a person seeking elective public office, acting independently of a political party.
“Campaign“, means canvassing for votes;

5-0. Voters Registration

5.1. A Liberian citizen, who is 18 years of age or above and is not otherwise disqualified by law, shall have the right to be registered and to vote in the 2023 General Elections.

5.2. The NEC shall use the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) technology to register all qualified citizens of the Republic of Liberia.

6-0. General Provisions

6.1. Any qualified political party, coalition, alliance and eligible citizen may apply to the NEC during the candidate nomination period to contest for an elective public office during the 2023 General Elections.

7-0. Qualification for Office

7.1. The qualifications for each elective public office are as follows:

A). President & Vice President:

Be a natural born Liberian citizen of not less than 35 years of age;
Be the owner of unencumbered real property valued at not less than twenty-five thousand dollars; and

iii. Be resident in the Republic 10 years prior to October 10, 2023; and

Any other requirements provided for in the New Elections Law of 1986, the 2023 Candidate Nomination and any other election regulations.

B). Senator

Be a Liberian citizen of not less than 30 years of age;
Be domiciled in the county to be represented not less than 1 year prior to October 10, 2023; and

iii. Be a regular taxpayer; and

Any other requirements provided for in the New Elections Law of 1986, the 2023 Candidate Nomination and any other election regulations.

C). Representative

Be a Liberian citizen of not less than 25 years of age;
Be domiciled in the constituency to be represented not less than 1 year prior to October 10, 2023; and

iii. Be a regular taxpayer; and

Any other requirements provided for in the New Elections Law of 1986, the 2023 Candidate Nomination and any other election regulations.

8-0. Nomination of Candidates

8.1. The NEC shall announce the date for the 2023 Candidate Nomination period, during which aspirants may apply to contest for an elected post for the said elections. All Political parties, Alliances and Coalitions shall hold their national conventions for the nomination of their respective candidates no later than 1 month prior to the commencement of the NEC 2023 candidate nomination.

8.2. A political party, alliance or coalition, intending to field a candidate in the 2023 General Elections, shall pick up the nomination package containing all relevant nomination forms at the center designated by the NEC. The above shall apply to independent aspirants.

8.3. A party, coalition or alliance shall nominate only one candidate per each elective position.

8.4. The Commission shall take all lawful steps, including the holding of hearings, to verify the accuracy of the information and documentation submitted by aspirant/candidate, in order to ascertain that the candidate meets the legal requirements.

8.5. In the event the Commission rejects the application of an aspirant to stand for office, it shall notify the aspirant and the party, alliance, coalition and as the case may be, of the reasons for the rejection. Such a rejection may be appealed to the Supreme Court within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the determination.

8.6. The Commission shall publish the names of qualified candidates.

9-0. Withdrawal of Nomination/Application

9.1. A candidate may withdraw from contesting an election as provided for in section 4.7(A) of the New Elections Law.

9.2. An Independent candidate may withdraw from contesting an election as provided for in section 4.7(A) of the New Elections Law.

10-0. Death of a Candidate

10.1. A political party, coalition or alliance may replace a candidate who has died as provided for in section 4.7(B) of the Elections Law.

11-0. Party/Candidate Office

11.1 Each political party, alliance, coalition, and independent candidate shall be required to establish and maintain at least one functioning and furnished office in the county or constituency it seeks to field a candidate.

12-0. Disclosure of Assets & Liabilities

12.1. Political parties, coalitions, alliances and their respective candidates as well as every independent candidate shall not later than September 10, 2023, publish and submit to the Commission detailed statements of assets and liabilities.

13-0. Post-Election Report

13.1. Any candidate (whether he or she contested on a political party, alliance, or coalition ticket or as an independent candidate), shall submit a final contribution and expense report to the NEC as in keeping with Section 7.10 of the New Elections Law.

14-0. Political Campaign

14.1. The Commission shall determine, publish and announce the date when official campaign shall open and close.

14.2. No political party, alliance, coalition or candidate shall commence campaign until the campaign has been officially declared open by the Commission.

14.3. No political party, alliance, coalition, or candidate shall continue to campaign beyond the closing date of the campaign period.

14.4. The official campaign period shall end at midnight twenty-four (24) hours before the Elections Day.

15-0. Complaints & Appeals

15.1. The provisions of the NEC 2022 Hearing Procedures shall apply to the hearing of complaints and appeals emanating from the 2023 General Elections.

16-0. Entry Into Force

16.1. These Regulations shall take effect immediately upon publication by the NEC on its website at: www.necliberia.org

DONE UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION (NEC), IN THE CITY OF MONROVIA, THIS _____DAY OF OCTOBER, 2022.

Signed:

____________________ ____________________

Hon. Josephine Kou Gaye Hon. Barsee Leo Kpangbai

COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER

____________________ ____________________

Hon. Floyd Oxley Sayor Cllr. Ernestine Morgan-Awar

COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER

____________________ ____________________

Boakai Amadu Dukuly, Esq. Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves

COMMISSIONER CO-CHAIR

_____________________________

Hon. Davidetta Browne Lansanah CHAIRPERSON

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