House of Representatives of Liberia
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The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the bicameral Liberian Legislature. Legislative elections took place on 11 October 2005, and the elected members took office in January 2006.
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[edit] Candidate eligibility
Citizens of Liberia who have attained the age of 25 years are eligible to contest elections and become members of the House of Representatives.
[edit] Electoral system
The simple majority (or First Past the Post) voting system is used in electing members to both chambers of the Liberian Legislature. In House elections, the candidate with a plurality of votes (not necessarily an absolute majority) wins. House members serve a six-year term.
[edit] County representation
The 64 House seats are distributed among Liberia's fifteen counties based on its total number of registered voters. Each county is guaranteed by law to have at least two seats. The current seat distribution among the counties is as follows:
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[edit] 2005 election results
Parties and coalitions | House votes | % in House | House seats | Senate votes | % in Senate | Senate seats |
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Congress for Democratic Change | 23.44% | 15 | 10% | 3 | ||
Liberty Party | 14.06% | 9 | 10% | 3 | ||
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia | 12.5% | 8 | 23.34% | 7 | ||
Unity Party | 12.5% | 8 | 10% | 3 | ||
Alliance for Peace and Democracy | 7.81% | 5 | 10% | 3 | ||
National Patriotic Party | 6.25% | 4 | 13.34% | 4 | ||
New Deal Movement | 4.69% | 3 | 0% | - | ||
All Liberia Coalition Party | 3.13% | 2 | 3.34% | 1 | ||
National Democratic Party of Liberia | 1.56% | 1 | 6.67% | 2 | ||
National Reformation Party | 1.56% | 1 | 3.34% | 1 | ||
United Democratic Alliance | 1.56% | 1 | 0% | - | ||
Independents | 10.94% | 7 | 10% | 3 | ||
Total | 64 | 30 |
- More info: Liberia elections, 2005
[edit] Leadership structure
A Speaker, who is elected by fellow House members, is the body's presiding officer. He is assisted by a Deputy Speaker and other officers whose purpose is to ensure that the House functions properly. On 13 January 2006, 63 out of 64 House members met to elect their leaders. The results are as follows:
Speaker of the House | ||
Results | Political Affiliation | Number of Votes |
Edwin Snowe | Independent | 48 |
Dusty Wolokollie | Unity Party | 13 |
Abstentions | 2 | |
Total | 63 |
Deputy Speaker of the House | ||
Results | Political Affiliation | Number of Votes |
Tokpah John Mulbah | Congress for Democratic Change | 38 |
Others/Abstentions | 25 | |
Total | 63 |
The Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and other officers may be removed from office by resolution of a two-thirds majority of House members.
[edit] See also
- Liberia
- Senate of Liberia
- Legislature of Liberia
- National Transitional Legislative Assembly of Liberia - the country's unicameral legislative body during the transition period (October 2003-January 2006)
- Legislative Branch
- List of national legislatures