Liberian general election, 1985

Liberian presidential election, 1985

15 October 1985

Nominee Samuel Doe Jackson Doe Party NDPL LAP Running mate Harry Moniba Emmanuel Koroma Popular vote 264,362 137,270 Percentage 50.93% 26.45%

President before election Samuel Doe NDPL Elected President Samuel Doe NDPL

Liberia
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General elections were held in Liberia on 15 October 1985.^[1] These were the first elections since the 12 April 1980 military coup that brought Samuel Doe to power. Official results showed that Samuel Doe won the presidential election with 50.9% of the vote, just enough to avoid a runoff. His National Democratic Party of Liberia won large majorities in both houses of the Legislature.

The polls were marred by allegations of widespread fraud and rigging. Many independent observers believed that the Liberian Action Party's Jackson Doe, who officially finished second, was the actual winner. It was later revealed that Samuel Doe had the ballots counted in a secret location by his handpicked staff.^[2] The period after the elections saw increased human rights abuses, corruption, and ethnic tensions, ultimately leading to the start of the First Liberian Civil War in 1989 and Doe's overthrow and murder in 1990.

Results

Presidential election

Legislative election

See also

• President of Liberia

References

Elections and referendums in Liberia Presidential elections 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1939 1943 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1985 1997 2005 2011 Legislative elections 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1985 1997 2005 2011 2014 Referendums 1846 1847 1849 1861 1869 1870 1907 1927 1935 1943 1945 1946 1949 1955 1972 1975 1984 2011 See also: Elections and referendums in the Republic of Maryland