ECSL Releases Joint Annual and Election Report

In a detailed press statement, the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has released its Annual and Multi-tier Election Report for 2023, marking significant achievements and ongoing improvements in the country’s electoral process.

“On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, I presented the Annual and Multi-tier Elections Report 2023 to His Excellency the President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, in fulfillment of Section 32 (12) of The 1991 Constitution,” stated ECSL.

This report is also set to be laid in Parliament.

The report noted that the 2023 elections saw a turnout of 2,789,808 registered voters, with a notable gender distribution of 52.88% female and 47.12% male. Additionally, the elections recorded a significant reduction in invalid votes, continuing a positive trend observed since 2007.

“In 2007, we had 7.30% invalid votes, 4.70% in 2012, 5.20% in the first round of 2018, 1.24% in the 2018 run-off, and only 0.39% in 2023,” the ECSL reported. This improvement is attributed to robust electoral education strategies implemented following the 2018 EOM recommendations.

The ECSL report encompasses various processes leading to the conduct of the June 24th Multi-tier elections, including legal reforms, voter registration, nominations, the actual conduct of the elections, result management, and gender analysis of the candidates and voter turnout.

“The report also highlights the status of the implementation of the ECSL 2020 – 2024 Strategic Plan,” the ECSL noted.

The data show that 64.67% of the Strategic Plan activities have been fully implemented, 14.97% are partly implemented, 15.57% are in progress, and 4.79% are yet to be achieved. It is anticipated that over 80% of the activities will be completed by the end of the year.

Furthermore, the ECSL clarified its participation in the Cross-Party Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review, also known as Tripartite.

“Since the establishment of The Committee, the ECSL has expressed its desire to cooperate fully within the law,” emphasized the ECSL.

The commission noted that they have provided all requested documents and participated in a thorough question and answer session, reinforcing its commitment to transparency and cooperation.

The ECSL underscored that the 2023 election results conform to the standards set by previous election cycles in 2007, 2012, and 2018, as per Section 92 of the PEA 2022. The ECSL remains steadfast in maintaining its independence as outlined in Section 32 (11) of The 1991 Constitution and Section 3 of The PEA 2022.

In conclusion, the ECSL reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening democracy through continuous improvement and collaboration with all stakeholders involved in the electoral process.