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LIBERIA
The Liberian Senate

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name Legislature
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name The Liberian Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Representatives
Affiliation to the IPU No
Affiliation date(s) 1889 - 1890
1955 - 1980
1986 - 1990
1991 - 1995
1999 - 2003
2004 - 2011
LEADERSHIP
President Albert Tugbe Chie (M) Jewel C. Howard-Taylor (F) 
Notes President of the Senate: Ms. Jewel C. Howard-Taylor (22 Jan. 2018 -)
President pro tempore: Mr. Albert Tugbe Chie (Elected on 15 Jan. 2018)
Secretary General J. Nanborlor F. Singbeh, Sr. (M) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 30 / 30
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 3 (10.00%)
Mode of designation directly elected 30
Term 9 years
Last renewal dates 20 December 2014
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address The Liberian Senate
Capitol Building
MONROVIA
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (231) 886 51 1308
Fax
E-mail singbehlibsen@hotmail.com
Website
http://legislature.gov.lr/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name Legislature
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name The Liberian Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Representatives
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 29 September 1986
Last amended: 17 September 2014
Mode of designation directly elected 30
Constituencies 15 multi member constituencies (two seats each) corresponding to counties.
Voting system Majority: Block vote
The two candidates who obtain the highest and second highest numbers of valid votes cast are elected.*
*Candidates who obtained the second highest number of valid votes cast in the 2005 elections served a six year term, instead of a nine-year term. All senators elected after the 2011 elections will serve a nine-year term.
By-elections are held within 90 days to fill seats which become vacant between general elections, except in the last 90 days before a general election.
Voter requirements - Liberian citizenship;
- Age: at least 18 years old at the end of the registration period;
- Registration on a voting roll;
- Residence in the country during voter registration and on polling day;
- Disqualifications: mental illness, court-declared incompetency.
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - Liberian citizenship by origin;
- Age: at least 30 years old.
Incompatibilities Not available.
Candidacy requirements (1) Membership of a political party, one of whose members is, at the time of the election, the President or a member of the legislature;
(2) Membership of a political party which, or status as an individual candidate who, in the most recent elections, obtained at least 2% of the total of all valid votes cast for all candidates in the constituencies in which the party or candidate ran. Parties which or candidates who fail to reach the 2% threshold are not allowed to contest the next two elections.

- The list of candidates presented by a political party must include a candidate for at least half of all the constituencies in the election.
- A political party or coalition should endeavor to ensure that no less than 30% of the members of its governing body and no less than 30% of those on its candidate list for an election are from each gender.

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name Legislature
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name The Liberian Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Representatives
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 20 December 2014
Timing and scope of renewal No party held a majority after the half-renewal of the 30-member Senate. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's Unity Party (UP) took the most seats, with four of the 15 seats at stake. However, the President reportedly lost control of the Senate due to the retirement and unsuccessful election bids of a number of outgoing Senators, including the President pro tempore Gbezhongar Findley. Only 25.2 per cent of 1.9 million registered voters turned out at the polls.

The main opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), took two seats. Its founder Mr. George Weah was elected to the Senate for the first time, defeating the President's son. The Liberty Party (LP), another opposition party, took two seats. Four other parties won one seat each along with three independent candidates. The 2014 elections saw a high turnover, as only two of the 12 outgoing senators seeking re-election retained their seats: former rebel leader Prince Johnson and Jewel Howard Taylor, the wife of former President Charles Taylor. Ms. Taylor thereby became the sole woman to be elected to the Senate in 2014.

Initially scheduled for 14 October, the Senate elections were postponed several times due to the Ebola outbreak that affected several countries in western Africa. Over 3,340 people died, making Liberia the worst hit country in the region. President Sirleaf banned all political rallies in the capital, Monrovia, stating the measure was to prevent the further spread of Ebola. The CDC argued that the ban was intended to favour her son's Senate bid. It promised to work for peace in the country. The UP promised to continue to improve the living standards of the Liberian people.
Date of previous elections: 11 October 2011

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A

Timing of election: Delayed elections

Expected date of next elections: October 2020*
*Renewal of the 15 senators elected for a nine-year term in 2011.

Number of seats at stake: 15 (partial renewal)

Number of candidates: 139 (119 men, 20 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 16.8%

Number of parties contesting the election: 28

Number of parties winning seats: 7

Alternation of power: No (presidential system)

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 14 January 2015

Name of the new Speaker: President of the Senate: Mr. Joseph N. Boakai

President pro tempore: Mr. Armah Zolu Jallah (National Patriotic Party, NPP)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 120 December 2014
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
1'903'229
479'936 (25.22%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Unity Party (UP)
Independents
Congress for Democratic Change (CDC)
Liberty Party (LP)
National Patriotic Party (NPP)
National Democratic Coalition (NDC)
Alternative National Congress (ANC)
People's Unification Party (PUP)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Unity Party (UP) 4
Independents 3
Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) 2
Liberty Party (LP) 2
National Patriotic Party (NPP) 1
National Democratic Coalition (NDC) 1
Alternative National Congress (ANC) 1
People's Unification Party (PUP) 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
14

1

6.67%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Note on the number of women:
One woman was elected in 2014, bringing the total number of women in the Senate to three.

Parliamentary group in the Senate (4 March 2015)
- Unity Party (UP): 8
- Congress for Democratic Change (CDC): 4
- National Patriotic Party (NPP): 4
- Liberty Party (LP): 3
- Liberia Destiny Party (LPD): 1
- National Democratic Coalition (NDC): 1
- National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP): 1
- Independents: 5
- Other: 2
- Vacant: 1

Sources:
Senate (10.02.2015)
http://legislature.gov.lr/senate
http://www.necliberia.org/

This page was last updated on 22 January 2018
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