President George Manneh Weah has by Proclamation declared Tuesday, December 8, 2020, as “Elections Day”, to be observed as Public Holiday throughout Liberia; with straight adherence to the prescribed COVID-19 Health Protocols.

The Proclamation calls on all citizens and foreign residents within the borders of Liberia, to respect, specifically, this Public Holiday, as such, and hereby direct that all government offices, business houses, private and public institutions of learning and market places be closed on that day, from Six O’clock Ante Meridian to Six O’clock Post Meridian.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Government is desirous of ensuring the unhindered movement of all eligible voters, granting unto them the opportunity to exercise their political franchise throughout the country on the day of elections. 

The proclamation says, the National Elections Commission has scheduled the holding of the Three categories of elections: The National Referendum, the Senatorial Elections throughout the country and the two by-elections for Tuesday, December 8, 2020. 

According to the Proclamation,  the Joint Resolution #003/2020 adopted by the Liberian Senate and House of Representatives of the 54^thNational Legislature of the Republic of Liberia authorizing the postponement of the October 13, 2020 Senatorial Elections and the National Referendum to December 8, 2020, approved on June 26, 2020 and published into handbills by the Authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 30, 2020.

It can be recalled that the Joint Resolution #002/2019 adopted on September 30, 2019 by the Liberia Senate and House of Representatives of the 54^thNational Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, proposing a Constitutional Referendum to amend Articles: 28, 45, 47, 48,49, 50, and 83 (a) and (c) of the 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, which was approved by the President of the Republic of Liberia on October 19, 2019, and further published into handbills by Authority of the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs on October 4, 2019.

According to the Proclamation, the Honorable House of Representative of the 54^thNational Legislature on Wednesday, October 9, 2020 through its Chef Clerk informed the National Elections Commission of two vacancies in the House of Representative, affecting Electoral Districts: #s 9 and 2 in Monsterrado and Sinoe Counties, as a result of the demise of honorable Munah Pelham Youngblood and Honorable Jay Nagbe Sloh; respectively, in compliance with Chapter V: Article 37 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia.