Liberian elections, 1985
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Liberia
on 15 October 1985. These were the first elections since the 12 April 1980 military coup that brought Samuel Doe
to power. The polls were marred by allegations of widespread fraud and rigging. Many independent observers believed that the LAP's Jackson Doe, who officially finished second, was the actual winner. The period after the elections saw increased human rights
abuses, corruption
, and ethnic tensions.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
on 15 October 1985. These were the first elections since the 12 April 1980 military coup that brought Samuel Doe
Samuel Doe
Samuel Kanyon Doe was the 21st President of Liberia, serving from 1986 until his assassination in 1990. He had previously served as Chairman of the People's Redemption Council from 1980 to 1986. He was the first indigenous head of state in Liberian history.Doe was a part of a rural tribe in inland...
to power. The polls were marred by allegations of widespread fraud and rigging. Many independent observers believed that the LAP's Jackson Doe, who officially finished second, was the actual winner. The period after the elections saw increased human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuses, corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, and ethnic tensions.
Legislative election
| Party | Votes | % | House seats | Senate seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Democratic Party of Liberia National Democratic Party of Liberia The National Democratic Party of Liberia is a political party in Liberia.The NDPL was formed in August 1984 by supporters of Samuel Doe, who came to power in a 1980 military coup. The party contested the 15 October 1985 elections with Doe as its presidential candidate. He won 50.93% of the vote in... |
264,364 | 50.9 | 51 | 22 |
| Liberian Action Party Liberian Action Party The Liberian Action Party was a political party in Liberia.The party fielded candidates in the 11 October 2005 elections as part of the four-party Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia .... |
137,270 | 26.5 | 8 | 2 |
| National Democratic Party of Liberia National Democratic Party of Liberia The National Democratic Party of Liberia is a political party in Liberia.The NDPL was formed in August 1984 by supporters of Samuel Doe, who came to power in a 1980 military coup. The party contested the 15 October 1985 elections with Doe as its presidential candidate. He won 50.93% of the vote in... |
59,965 | 11.6 | 2 | 1 |
| Liberia Unification Party Liberia Unification Party The Liberia Unification Party was a political party in Liberia.The party fielded candidates in the 11 October 2005 elections as part of the four-party Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia .... |
57,273 | 11.0 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 518,872 | 100 | 64 | 26 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||||