The National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC-Liberia) is expected to submit a proposed budget of slightly more than US$72 million to the Government of Liberia by 31 October 2026 to finance the country’s 2029 General Elections.
According to a press release dated October 21, 2026, NEC calls for predictable national funding and development assistance that strengthens local expertise and institutional capacity. The proposed budget will cover three major components of the electoral process: pre-electoral activities, election operations, and post-electoral activities.
NEC Chairperson Jonathan K. Weedor disclosed this on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, while delivering an address at the induction ceremony of the Commission’s newly appointed Executive Director, Atty. Joseph A. Yarsiah.
Weedor emphasized that timely financial commitments would be essential to preparations for the 2029 elections, including a proposed fresh biometric voter registration exercise scheduled for January to March 2028.
He also used the occasion to deliver a message to development partners, stressing that international assistance should prioritize sustainable institutional development, national expertise, and capacity-building opportunities for Liberian professionals.
“Symposiums cannot become the recurrent activities of donor assistance and International consultancy cannot become the major focus of donor funding without due consideration of national expertise”, Weedor stressed.
He called for greater investment in the professional development of NEC personnel, including the use of regional and subregional training opportunities to strengthen the Commission’s technical knowledge and operational capacity.
He also welcomed the Government of Liberia’s willingness to strengthen financial support for the 2029 elections, describing predictable and timely national funding as indispensable to the successful conduct of credible elections. However, beyond election financing, the Commission is proposing a fresh biometric voter registration exercise rather than simply verifying and updating the 2023 Final Registration Roll.
Furthermore, the proposed exercise is intended to form part of the Commission’s preparations for the 2029 electoral process. Meanwhile, in his induction remarks, Executive Director Atty. Joseph A. Yarsiah pledged to lead the NEC Secretariat with passion, commitment, and steadfastness.
Atty. Yarsiah’s appointment followed a selection and vetting process that received the requisite two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Commissioners (BoC), in accordance with Section 2.19 of the New Elections Law, as amended in 2014. He brings 19 years of experience in electoral administration, having previously served the NEC in several capacities, including Director of Procurement and Director of Political Affairs.
The induction ceremony was attended by all NEC Commissioners and representatives of the UNDP Liberia Electoral Support Project (UNDP-LESP), the Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC), civil society organizations, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and other stakeholders.
As preparations for the 2029 elections take shape, the Commission is emphasizing the importance of coordinated national financing, effective development partnerships, and investment in Liberian expertise to support the country’s electoral process.
