Liberian electoral commission announces 2011 elections timetable

The Electoral Commission of Liberia has announced the timetable for the country's forthcoming elections scheduled for October next year.

The country's constitution requires that general and presidential elections be held every six years.

Already, the country's incumbent president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has declared her intention to seek re-elections in the poll, while soccer legend and former FIFA Best Player of 1995 George Weah, who came second in the poll in 2005 to the current president, said he too will contest the forthcoming poll.

Chairman of the electoral commission James Fromayan told reporters on Sunday that voter registration for the poll, will begin in January next year to be followed in July the same year by the nomination of candidates.

Fromayan said political campaign will begin in August and run up to Oct. 9, 2011.

The electoral chief said a voter registration plan is being meticulously developed on the basic of geographical planning and harmonized date.

"The process will be based on the lowest possible geographical and administrative unit, meaning that voters will use the same voters' registration card for subsequent by-elections, as well as, the planned 2013 local government elections and possibly beyond," he told reporters.

The operational plan for the 2011 general and presidential elections has been produced in partnership with international groups like the UN Mission in the country, the European Union, USAID, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and ready for implementation, he added.

Fromayan said the commission would fully implement the elections timetable and assured all Liberians and the international community of the commission's commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2011.

Source: Xinhua