(Up-Down) The National Elections Commission of Liberia and the National Legislature of Liberia. Photo sources: Africa Press & Biometric Update. Com
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There appears to be a controversy among Liberians, especially the lawmakers, over the creation of new electoral districts.
This move by the House of Representatives has sparked a major national debate, as seen here, here, and here.
The debate is as much about the need to create new districts as it is about which government entity has the legitimate authority to do so in Liberia.
This conversation dates back to December 2025, when the House of Representatives endorsed its committee’s report recommending adding 14 seats to the existing 73 seats in the House.
What do the laws say?
The Constitution of Liberia clearly lays out statutes addressing the creation of new districts and the conduct of a national census.
According to Article 39 of Liberia’s Constitution, a national census is expected to be conducted every ten years, and this census shall be undertaken under the instruction of the Liberian legislature.
However, Article 80(E) of the Liberian Constitution states, “Immediately following a national census and before the next election, the Elections Commission shall reapportion the constituencies in accordance with the new population figures so that every constituency shall have as close to the same population as possible; provided, however, that a constituency must be solely within a county.”
Also, Article 80(D) clearly states that “Each constituency shall have an approximately equal population of 20,000, or such number of citizens as the legislature shall prescribe in keeping with population growth and movements as revealed by a national census; provided that the total number of electoral constituencies in the Republic shall not exceed one hundred.”
The controversy
Since the House of Representatives passed a resolution and forwarded it to the Liberian Senate for concurrence, Liberians, including some lawmakers (Senators and Representatives), have expressed mixed views.
Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, Senator of Montserrado County, is one person who is strongly against the legislature creating new seats within the House of Representatives, adding that it is not the function of the legislature but the National Elections Commission
Senator Dillon took to his official Facebook page, saying, “The Legislature has no authority to set and assign legislative seats by counties. Its role is to establish the population threshold based on the results of a duly conducted national census.”
Also, Montserrado County District #3 Representative, Sumo Mulbah, agreed with Senator Dillon. Representative Mulbah indicated that any attempts by lawmakers to interfere with this process would constitute political interference by the legislature.
According to a news report by OK 99.5FM, Representative Mulbah indicated that allowing legislators to influence the process would undermine the principle of equal representation.
Another lawmaker, Senator Amara Konneh, also disagreed with the House of Representatives’ action in passing the resolution.
Senator Konneh wrote on his official Facebook page, saying, “As a Senator from Gbarpolu County representing the Liberian people, I must register my profound objection to the resolution recently passed by the House of Representatives seeking to expand Liberia’s electoral map from 73 to 89 electoral districts.”
Views of the masses
Deltrick Teah, a local entrepreneur, said he is not concerned about who has authority, but he sees no reason to add additional members to the 73 members of the House of Representatives.
Tee Lama, a young Liberian woman, said the current group of lawmakers is doing nothing for the districts they represent; therefore, she doesn’t see the need to add additional members.
“Some of you are not doing anything for the district you represent at the moment, and you want to create new ones now?! Umm,” she said, using her official Facebook page.
Mohammed Boakia said the country is already bleeding from what he considers wasteful spending and needs more revenue to improve public service delivery nationwide.
Boakai said, “We don’t need additional unnecessary leakage in this economy. We need money to put medicines in hospitals, improve the quality of education, invest in agricultural technology, and improve the physical quality of the lives of our people.”
How did it start?
It all started when members of the House of Representatives unanimously enacted into law a resolution seeking to expand Liberia’s electoral districts by an additional 16 seats.
With 73 seats within the House of Representatives of Liberia, if this resolution, already sent to the Liberian Senate for concurrence, is passed by that august body, Liberia’s members of the House of Representatives would move from 73 to 89 members.
The 89-member membership will be constituted as follows: Montserrado County would move from 17 to 20 electoral districts. Nimba County would move from 9 to 11 districts, Bong County from 7 to 9, and Lofa County from 5 to 7.
Also, Margibi and Grand Bassa counties would each have an additional district, increasing from five to six, while Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape Mount, Maryland, Sinoe, and Bomi would each increase from three to four, and River Gee, Gbarpolu, Grand Kru, and River Cess counties would retain their current representation.
Position of the National Elections Commission (NEC)
DUBAWA contacted the National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia through its Communications and Public Affairs Department. The Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Titutis Tokpah, said that the commission works within the framework of its constitutional mandates enshrined in the Constitution of Liberia.
Tokpah said that, since the decision of the House of Representatives, the commission is yet to make an official statement taking a definite position on the move by the House of Representatives, adding, “The commission works in line with its constitutional mandates as always stated by the Board of Commissioners (BoC).”
The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia is the body responsible for the conduct of all electoral activities within the borders of Liberia and was established as an autonomous government entity as prescribed under Article 89 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia
From its inception, NEC was called the Elections Commission (ECOM); however, in 2003, an Act of the National Legislature was passed increasing the number of commissioners to seven. This increase was upheld by the August 18, 2003, Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) for Liberia, signed in Accra, Ghana.
Conclusion
Meanwhile, the resolution has since been sent to the Liberian Senate for concurrence after being passed by the House of Representatives. Upon passage by both houses, the said resolution would be sent to the President for approval, and afterwards printed into a handbill.
