2017 — Liberia's Historic Election Begins

On October 10, 2017, Liberia went to the polls in the first round of a historic general election. More than 2 million registered voters queued at polling stations across the country to choose a successor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female head of state. Twenty candidates competed, but no one won an outright majority. Former football star George Weah took nearly 39 percent of the vote, forcing a runoff against Vice President Joseph Boakai.

Weeks later, Weah won decisively, and power changed hands peacefully, a democratic milestone Liberia had not seen in more than 70 years. One vote, one people, one turning point for a nation rebuilding from war.