Carter Center Launches International Election Observation Mission in Liberia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org
In Monrovia, Meaghan Fitzgerald, meaghan.fitzgerald@cartercenter.org, +231 (0) 881 367 189

MONROVIA, LIBERIA — The Carter Center has launched an international election observation mission to Liberia’s Oct. 10 presidential and legislative elections.

Six long-term observers recently joined a core team of experts already on the ground. Together, the team represents six countries. The Center's observers will meet regularly with representatives of the National Election Commission, political party candidates, civil society organizations, the international community, and citizen election observers to assess electoral preparations and the pre-electoral environment, including election administration, campaigning, voter education, and other issues. They will be joined by a larger delegation of election observers in October that will assess the voting, counting, and tabulation processes.

"The Carter Center has a long history in Liberia and great respect for the Liberian people,” said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. “These will be the fourth elections we have observed in Liberia since 1997, and we trust they will be peaceful and inspire hope for the future."

The Center began its observation of the upcoming elections last year, deployed a delegation to observe the voter registration process in February and March, and released two public statements on the pre-election environment that can be found on cartercenter.org.

The Carter Center has observed 104 elections in 39 countries. Its election observation mission is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct that was commemorated at the United Nations in 2005 and has been endorsed by 49 election observation groups. The Center assesses the electoral process based on Liberia’s national legal framework and its obligations for democratic elections contained in regional and international agreements.

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.