Liberia’s 2020 Special Senatorial Election and Constitutional Referendum

On 8 December 2020, Liberians voted for one senator in each of the country’s 15 counties and considered eight constitutional amendment propositions. Two House by-elections were also held. The voting had been postponed from October amid the COVID-19 pandemic and financing constraints.

Special senatorial election

• Registered voters: 2,476,356.
• Votes cast: 926,773.
• Turnout: 37.4%.
• Seats contested: 15 of the Senate’s 30 seats.
• Candidates: 118.

The opposition Collaborating Political Parties won six of the 15 seats. The Coalition for Democratic Change won three; the People’s Unification Party and Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction won one each; and four independent candidates won seats. The distribution reflects results certified by NEC through 31 March 2021.

Notable county results included Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. winning Bomi as an independent with 16,476 votes; Prince Kermue Moye winning Bong for the CPP with 39,337 votes; and Emmanuel James Nuquay winning Margibi for the PUP with 34,918 votes. The Lofa result involving CPP candidate Brownie Samukai later became the subject of legal and eligibility proceedings, and he did not take the Senate seat.

Constitutional referendum

The referendum asked voters about citizenship provisions, changing the election date, shortening the time allowed for NEC complaint hearings, and reducing the terms of the president, vice president, senators, representatives and legislative leaders.

• Total referendum ballots: approximately 830,000.
• Reported turnout: 33.5%.
• Propositions: eight.
• Outcome: none achieved the constitutionally required two-thirds approval threshold.

Every proposition received more “yes” than “no” votes among valid responses, but invalid ballots were exceptionally numerous and no proposal reached the constitutional ratification threshold. The Constitution was therefore not amended by this referendum.

Sources and verification

Senate figures are drawn from the NEC senatorial results portal and cross-checked against the IPU parliamentary record. Referendum totals are from the NEC referendum results portal, with the proposed amendments documented in the official referendum gazette record.

Editorial note: a simple majority of valid “yes” votes was not sufficient for constitutional ratification. Liberia Civic distinguishes the vote count from the legal threshold and resulting constitutional outcome.