By Lincoln G. Peters
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia, October 21, 2026: A group of prominent Liberian citizens, operating under the banner Voices of the Elders of Liberia, has warned that future elections could face constitutional challenges if the 55th Legislature fails to establish a new electoral threshold based on the 2022 National Population and Housing Census.
In an open letter dated October 15, 2026, addressed to both Houses of the Legislature, the group expressed concern over lawmakers’ failure to prescribe the population required to constitute an electoral constituency following the latest census.
The communication was delivered to the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, October 20, through Senate Secretary Nanborlor Singbeh.
Citing Article 80(d) of the 1986 Constitution, the group reminded lawmakers that each electoral constituency must have an approximately equal population of 20,000 citizens or another number prescribed by the Legislature in keeping with population growth and movements revealed by a national census.
According to the Elders, failure to establish a new threshold prevents the National Elections Commission (NEC) from undertaking the reapportionment and demarcation of electoral constituencies as required under Article 80(e).
“Without a duly prescribed number, same as a threshold, all legislative and presidential elections conducted, going forward, in Liberia will be unconstitutional,” the group warned.
The Elders recommended a threshold of 60,000 citizens per constituency, describing the proposal, identified as Scenario Two, as presenting the fewest controversies surrounding the electoral threshold debate.
Their intervention comes three months after the House of Representatives, on July 15, 2026, approved a resolution proposing to increase electoral districts from 73 to 89, based on the 2022 census population of approximately 5.25 million.
Under the proposed expansion, Montserrado County would gain three additional districts, increasing from 17 to 20, while Nimba County would increase from nine to 11.
The proposed 89 districts would represent an average population of approximately 59,000 citizens per constituency, close to the Elders’ recommended 60,000 threshold.
The group, led by Madam Faustina Sesay, submitted 33 copies of its statement to the Senate for distribution among senators.
It also urged the House of Representatives to follow constitutional procedures in establishing the threshold and called on the Senate to remain vigilant in protecting Liberia’s democratic institutions.
The Elders maintained that resolving the electoral threshold issue is essential to safeguarding the constitutional integrity of future elections.
The post Elders Warn of Unconstitutional Elections appeared first on Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news.