NEC Releases 2023 Campaign Guidelines

2023 CAMPAIGN GUIDELINES

Authority
The National Elections Commission (NEC), pursuant to the powers vested in it under Section 2.9(h) of the New Elections Law to formulate guidelines consistent with the provisions of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, hereby formulates the following Campaign Guidelines for the 2023 General Elections.
Applicability
These Guidelines shall apply to Political Parties, Alliances, Coalitions, and
Independent Candidates.
These Guidelines shall not be construed to limit additional requirements imposed by any provisions of the New Elections Law and/or relevant decisional law.
Citations
These Guidelines may be cited as the “2023 Campaign Guidelines”.
Definitions
The following words, terms, and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them herein, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
“NEC or Commission” means the National Elections Commission; “Aspirant” means anyone canvassing for an elective public office under the
provisions of the New Elections Law.
“Candidate” means any individual who has been endorsed by a political party, coalition, or alliance, or who runs as an independent candidate for an elective public office and has been duly accredited by the NEC.
“Campaign” means canvassing for votes; any verbal expression or symbolic speech of an aspirant, candidate, political party, coalition or alliance done for the purpose of electing or promoting an aspirant or candidate for elective public office.
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Official Campaign Period
The Campaign period for the 2023 General Elections shall be from August 4, 2023, to October 8, 2023. There shall be no campaign activity(ies) outside the campaign period.
Activities Permitted Outside the Campaign Period
The following activities may be conducted before, during, and after the official Campaign Period:
1. Political party meetings;
2. Political party membership drive;
3. Establishment of political party offices;
4. Political party fundraising activities;
5. Use of a political party’s logos/emblem on its offices, vehicles, and
other properties;
6. Holding of political party national and local conventions/primaries;
7. Petitioning/ Endorsement Ceremony:
a. A person desiring to contest for public office is not a candidate for said office until that person has been certified as such by the Commission;
b. In responding to a petition to seek the nomination of one’s political party or to contest as an independent candidate, an aspirant is prohibited from engaging in any of the premature campaign activities stated herein;
c. Publicity made in preparation for the said process (erection of billboards, pictures, banners, posters, placards, and any other printed materials) shall be removed within 72 hours following the close of such event.
Campaign Period Activities
For the 2023 General Elections, the following activities may be done during the official campaign period announced by the Commission:
1. CampaignRallies;
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2. Holding a march, parade, or other assemblies for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or promoting an individual aspirant or candidate by way of speech, billboards, pictures, banners, posters, placards, or any other printed materials that tend to promote an individual aspirant or candidate for an elective public office;
3. Posters,handbills,andhouse-to-housecontactwithvoters;
4. Publishingordistributingcampaignliterature,posters,flyers,buttons, T-shirts, caps, or other promotional items designed to support the election of any aspirant/candidate for elective public office.
5. Makingcontactwithvotersusingprintandelectronicorsocialmediaor radio/TV interviews;
6. Formingofanassociation,orothersforthepurposeofsolicitingvotes and/or promoting an individual aspirant or candidate by way of speech, pictures, banners, posters or any other printed materials that tend to promote an individual aspirant or candidate for an elective public office;
Submission of Campaign Schedule
A Party/Candidate shall notify the Commission, in writing (not later than 7 days to the commencement of its campaign activities), of its schedule of campaign stating the date, time, and venue. Not more than one Party/Candidate shall hold campaign events at the same venue and time. To avoid a possible conflict, all candidates appearing on the final listing of candidates are required to submit their campaign schedules to the Commission.
Where there is conflict in the date, venue, or timing of the activities of opposing candidates/political parties, the Commission shall consider several factors, including the time a party/candidate’s schedule was received, in determining which party/candidate may be given preference.
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The Commission shall regulate all campaign schedules, giving all candidates the opportunity to launch and close their campaign activities peacefully.
A Political campaign shall be free of violence, abusive language, or any form of hate speech.
Penalties
Any Political Party, Alliance, Coalition, or Independent Candidate found to have contravened these guidelines shall, in keeping with due process, be fined an amount not less than US$1,000.00 nor more than US$5,000.00, or their equivalent in Liberian Dollars, payable in the Government of Liberia revenue.
Entry into Force
These guidelines shall take effect immediately upon publication by the NEC in the print and electronic media including the NEC’s website.