Voter’s Apathy, Trucking Or Abandonment? -Poor Turnout Marred Nimba By-Election, But…

Solomon T. Gaye/Nimba
The much-anticipated Nimba County by-election held yesterday, April 22, 2025, was marked by a disappointing voter turnout, yet the electoral process unfolded in a remarkably smooth and peaceful atmosphere.

Despite the low participation during the early hours, local officials and observers, however, praised the conduct of the election, highlighting the commitment of Liberians to exercise their democratic rights in an orderly manner.
The by-election was necessitated by the recent death of former Senator Prince Y. Johnson who represented the people of Nimba county at the Liberian Senate since the end of the 14 years of civil war.
As the polls opened at 8 AM, the voter turnout was noticeably low across several precincts in the County despite polls opening on schedule and being adequately staffed by National Elections Commission (NEC) officials.
Several voters spoken to, attributed the low participation to voter apathy, the absence of usually trucked population in the general and presidential elections, limited public awareness, and electorates feeling abandoned by politicians after assuming power, with some officials expressing their dissatisfaction over the poor turnout of voters.
Despite the low turnout, the election was conducted without any major incident, as the polling stations were well-organized, and voters were able to cast their ballots without intimidation or interference before the polls were closed at 6:00 p.m.
During her first election briefing, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Davidetta Browne Lansanah announced a peaceful and orderly start to the Senatorial By-election in Nimba.
Speaking on Tuesday, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah said all 262 voting precincts and 736 polling places opened as scheduled at 8:00 a.m. and were expected to close at 6:00 p.m., in line with the election rules.
She said, “I am pleased to announce that voting in the 2025 Senatorial By-election in Nimba County got off to a very peaceful start, and a total of 307,254 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in the election.”
Despite the overall calm, the Chairperson acknowledged a few minor incidents that were swiftly resolved by NEC staff and security personnel, which included late openings at some polling centers, access issues at a few schools due to renovations or unpaid fees, and a de-roofed voting facility in Saclepea District which prompted relocation to a nearby church.
In one notable case at Messiah Christian Academy in District 1, a locked facility delayed voting due to late precinct payment, but the issue was resolved and voting proceeded, while another incident at Geolando Public School involved a brief confrontation between party agents and polling officials, which was also defused with assistance from security officers.
Chairperson Lansanah then commended the Liberia National Police and other security agencies for their presence and support throughout the process and expressed gratitude to the Government of Liberia and international donors for their financial and logistical support and to the media for coverage of the election.
One of the main contenders, Edith Gongloe-Weh Edith, moment after casting her ballot urged electoral authorities to uphold transparency and fairness in the County by-election, emphasizing that voter vigilance is key to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
Dressed in traditional attire and surrounded by supporters, Madam Gongloe-Weh expressed confidence in the democratic process and called on the National Elections Commission to deliver a credible outcome, and added, “We must remain vigilant. This process belongs to the people, and it must be transparent and fair.”
Vice President Jeremiah Koung, after voting described the low voter turnout in the ongoing Nimba County senatorial by-election as normal, stating that the nature of the election does not typically draw large crowd.
Speaking at the YMCA Precinct Center in Ganta, VP Koung explained that the turnout is lower than usual because the by-election involves only one position, and added, “You should expect that the turnout will be low because this is not an election where we are voting for a president, senator, and representative all at once.”
Earlier, Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah advised against rushing to conclude that voter turnout was low in the Nimba County senatorial by-election, emphasizing that it was too early to make such determination.
Speaking at a MICAT press briefing yesterday, Minister Piah pointed out that comparing turnout in by-elections to that of general elections can be misleading and explained that by-elections usually involve only one ballot, allowing voters to cast their votes quickly and exit polling centers without forming long queues.
“In general elections, voters receive multiple ballots for different offices, which naturally leads to longer queues or lines. But in a by-election, it’s just one paper — people come in, vote, and leave. So the absence of long lines doesn’t necessarily mean turnout is low,” he said.
Piah then called on the public and the media to refrain from making hasty judgments and instead wait for official data from the National Elections Commission (NEC), stressing the importance of accurate and responsible reporting as the process unfolds.
Minister Piah also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a peaceful, transparent, and credible election, and asserted, “The government assures the people of Nimba and all Liberians that the true will of the voters — as expressed through the ballot — will be respected, protected, and upheld.”
“We trust the National Elections Commission to conduct the process with diligence and transparency, and we believe the outcome will reflect the democratic rights of the people,” the Minister added.
Meanwhile, as the unofficial results began to trickle in, the atmosphere in Nimba remained calm, with supporters of various candidates gathering outside polling stations to await the outcome of the election.
As per the Liberian Constitution, the NEC, which has the statutory authority to conduct elections in the country is the official outlet for data dissemination on electoral outcomes or results.