-Says He Is Best Qualified
The National Elections Commission has appointed Attorney Joseph A. Yarsiah as its new Executive Director, placing an experienced election and legal professional at the center of the Commission’s administrative operations as Liberia continues preparations for the next electoral cycle.
The appointment was announced Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following a resolution adopted by the NEC Board of Commissioners on September 15 after what the Commission described as a comprehensive vetting process involving qualified candidates.
According to the NEC, Yarsiah emerged as the most qualified candidate for the position and secured the required two-thirds majority of Board members present and voting.
The appointment was made pursuant to Section 2.19 of Liberia’s New Elections Law, as amended in 2014, which authorizes the Board of Commissioners to appoint the Executive Director of the Commission.
The resolution provides the legal foundation for Yarsiah to assume one of the NEC’s most important administrative positions, with responsibility for translating decisions of the Board into the day-to-day operations of the electoral management body.
Under the new elections law, executive director serves as the chief administrative officer and oversees the daily operations of its departments and divisions.
The position also carries responsibilities of implementing decisions and directives issued by the board of commissioners.
Yarsiah’s appointment therefore gives him a central role in ensuring that the Commission’s administrative machinery functions effectively and that policies and decisions adopted by the Board are carried through the institution.
His appointment also brings back to the NEC an individual with previous experience inside the electoral management system.
According to a professional profile published by NEXUS Legal and Financial Partners, Yarsiah previously served for more than ten years at NEC in positions including director for political affairs and later as director of procurement.
His earlier work included electoral regulations relating to campaign financing, candidate nomination, political parties and independent candidates.
His previous experience gives the new Executive Director familiarity with the structure, procedures and operational demands of the Commission.
At the same time, the new assignment carries responsibilities that extend beyond his previous departmental roles.
The credibility of an election depends not only on voting day but also on the administrative systems that support voter registration, logistics, recruitment, training, political-party engagement, procurement, results management and the handling of electoral procedures.
The Executive Director has an important role in coordinating many of those processes within the NEC’s administrative structure.
The Commission aid Yarsiah’s appointment followed a competitive vetting process and tha the Board determined he was most qualified amongst those considered.
