1997 Liberian general election
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General elections were held in Liberia on 19 July 1997 as part of the 1996 peace agreement ending the First Liberian Civil War. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate were up for election. Voter turnout was around 89%.[1] Former rebel leader Charles Taylor and his National Patriotic Party (NPP) won the election with 75.3% of the vote, giving it about three-quarters of the legislative seats according to the proportional representation system.[2] Taylor was inaugurated as president on 2 August 1997.
Taylor campaigned on, among other slogans, "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him."
Background
During 1984 a new draft constitution was approved in a referendum, which allowed a 58-member civilian and military combined Interim National Assembly, headed by President Samuel Doe. The ban on political parties were lifted and the nation went for elections in 1985.[4][5] The election results were announced on 29 October, with NDPL leading both in the presidential, Assembly and Senate. Doe was sworn in as the president on 6 January and a civilian cabinet on 15 January.[1] The period after the elections saw increased human rights abuses, corruption, and ethnic tensions, ultimately leading to the start of the First Liberian Civil War in 1989 and Doe's overthrow and murder in 1990.[5]
During the civil war between 1990 and 1997, 2.5 million people died accounting for 10 per cent of pre-war population, one-third were left as refugees and almost most of the population migrated at some point. The
On 14 February 1997, it was announced that elections would be held on 30 May 1997, but a postponement was needed with the elections eventually scheduled for 19 July.
Electoral system
The Legislature of Liberia was modeled based on the Legislature of United States. It was bicameral, with a Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 13 counties in the country and based on the population, each county is defined to have at least two members, while the total number of members to the house including the Speaker being 64. Each member represents an electoral district and elected to a six-year term based on popular vote.[7] There were 26 senators, two each for the 13 counties and they serve a nine-year term (30 senators, 15 counties and nine years from 2011). Senators are also elected based on plurality of votes. The vice-president is the head of the Senate and he also acts as president in his absence.[7]
To be eligible as a voter, one had to possess 18 years of age and registered on electoral rolls. Persons who were of foreign origin, insane, or convicted in crime were not eligible. The eligibility criteria to be candidate of a political party in the House of Representatives were residence in the country for one year before the elections, and being a taxpayer 25 years of age. The eligibility criteria to be candidate of a political party in the Senate were residence in the country for one year continuously before the elections, and being a taxpayer 30 years of age.[1]
Conduct
The Election Commission faced challenges in educating the public about the voting, and secrecy of voting. An estimated 70 to 90 percent of the population were illiterate, making it even more difficult to educate them. Also, the
Results
The final results were announced in August, which gave an overwhelming majority to NPP both in the House and Senate. Taylor won the election in a landslide, garnering 75 percent of the vote. Taylor's closest competitor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, collected only 10 percent of the vote.[6] Taylor was sworn in as the president of Liberia on 3 August and his cabinet was announced in the following weeks.[1]
Party | Presidential candidate | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
House | Senate | ||||||||
Alhaji G.V. Kromah | 25,059 | 4.03 | 3 | 2 | |||||
Alliance of Political Parties (LAP–LUP) | Cletus Wotorson | 15,969 | 2.57 | 2 | 0 | ||||
United People's Party | Gabriel Baccus Matthews | 15,604 | 2.51 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Liberian People's Party | Togba-Nah Tipoteh | 10,010 | 1.61 | 1 | 0 | ||||
National Democratic Party | George Boley | 7,843 | 1.26 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Liberia National Union | Harry Moniba | 6,708 | 1.08 | 0 | 0 | ||||
People's Democratic Party | George T. Washington | 3,497 | 0.56 | 0 | 0 | ||||
National Reformation Party | Martin Sheriff | 2,965 | 0.48 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Progressive People's Party | Chea Cheapoo | 2,142 | 0.34 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Reformation Alliance Party | Henry Fahnbulleh | 2,067 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Free Democratic Party | Fayah Gbollie | 2,016 | 0.32 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Total | 621,880 | 100.00 | 64 | 26 | |||||
Registered voters/turnout | 751,430 | – | |||||||
Source: African Elections Database |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Senate Election results of Liberia, 1997". Interparliamentary Union for Democracy for everyone. 1997. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ISBN 0-19-829645-2
- ^ Left, Sarah (2003-08-04). "War in Liberia". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
- ISBN 9780521520102.
- ^ ISBN 9780262680622.
1985 liberia elections.
- ^ ISBN 9781555877781.
- ^ a b "About The Republic Of Liberia – Politics". Ministry of Information, Government of Liberia. 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ISSN 1073-6719. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ^ "UNOMIL". Information Technology Section/Department of Public Information. 2001. Retrieved 18 January 2008.