By Lewis S. Teh
MONROVIA, October 22, 2026 – The National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced plans to submit a proposed budget of more than US$72 million to the Government of Liberia by October 31, 2026, to finance the country’s 2029 general elections.
NEC Chairperson Jonathan K. Weedor disclosed that the proposed budget would cover three major components of the electoral process: pre-election preparations, election operations and post-election activities.
Speaking Wednesday, October 21, during the induction ceremony of the Commission’s newly appointed Executive Director, Atty. Joseph A. Yarsiah, Weedor stressed that timely and predictable funding would be critical to ensuring credible and successful elections in 2029.
He said the Commission is proposing a fresh biometric voter registration exercise between January and March 2028 as part of preparations for the elections.
The proposed exercise would replace plans to simply verify and update the 2023 Final Registration Roll, signaling the Commission’s intention to undertake a new voter registration process ahead of the polls.
Weedor emphasized that adequate financial commitments from the government would be essential to implementing the proposed registration exercise and other electoral activities.
He welcomed the government’s expressed willingness to strengthen financial support for the 2029 elections but maintained that predictable and timely disbursement of funds would be necessary to avoid disruptions in electoral preparations.
The NEC Chairperson also challenged international development partners to reconsider their approach to electoral assistance, calling for greater investment in Liberian professionals and the Commission’s long-term institutional capacity.
He cautioned against excessive reliance on international consultants and donor-funded workshops at the expense of developing local expertise.
“Symposiums cannot become the recurrent activities of donor assistance. International consultancy cannot become the major focus of donor funding without due consideration of national expertise,” Weedor declared.
According to him, international electoral assistance should prioritize sustainable institutional development, technical training and professional advancement opportunities for NEC employees.
He specifically called for greater use of regional and subregional training institutions to strengthen the technical and operational capacity of Liberian electoral personnel.
Weedor maintained that developing national expertise would help the Commission reduce dependence on external technical assistance while strengthening its ability to independently manage future elections.
Meanwhile, newly inducted NEC Executive Director Atty. Joseph A. Yarsiah pledged to lead the Commission’s Secretariat with dedication, professionalism and commitment.
Yarsiah promised to discharge his responsibilities with passion and steadfastness as the Commission prepares for the 2029 electoral process.
His appointment followed a competitive selection and vetting process and received the required two-thirds majority vote of the NEC Board of Commissioners, in accordance with Section 2.19 of the New Elections Law, as amended in 2014.
The new Executive Director brings 19 years of experience in electoral administration, having previously served the Commission in several capacities, including Director of Procurement and Director of Political Affairs.
The induction ceremony was attended by NEC Commissioners and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme Liberia Electoral Support Project (UNDP-LESP), Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC), civil society organizations, Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and other electoral stakeholders.
As preparations for the 2029 elections gather momentum, the Commission is emphasizing the need for coordinated government financing, effective development partnerships and greater investment in Liberian expertise to strengthen the country’s electoral administration.
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