By K. Ericson Sayee
MONROVIA, April 23 (LINA) – The Plenary of the House of Representatives has set Thursday, April 23, 2026, to enter debate on a controversial proposition to create 16 additional legislative seats for counties that meet the threshold outlined in a Specialized Committee on Elections and Inauguration’s report on new seats formulation.
If the proposed 16 new seats are endorsed by members of the House, concurred by the Senate, and approved by the President, the country’s legislative seats, particularly in the House of Representatives, will rise from 73 to 89 seats.
Informing the House on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the special sitting of the House of Representatives, the Specialized Committee on Elections and Inauguration stated that in the proposed framework, counties below 130 thousands will have no seat, while counties that have above 130 thousand in population will have additional legislative seats.
The report further explained that counties with a population 130 to 350 thousand will have one additional seat, while those in the range of 350 to 750 thousand will have two additional seats. It added that from 750 thousand and above will definitely have three new seats.
According to the report, no county will have any reduction in seats, especially counties that fall below the threshold determined Electoral District, which every constituency should have 20 thousand and above, but rather counties that experienced an increment in population will benefit from new seats, with the threshold proposed by the committee.
Counties that are expected to benefit from additional seats based on their population are Montserrado County receiving additional three seats, totaling the number of districts to 20 if endorsed by members of the House and approved by the Senate and the President.
Nimba County stands a chance to receive two seats which will increase its total seats to 11, Bong County will also benefit two new seats to make it nine seats, Lofa will have two new seats as well to increase its seats to seven, and Margibi County will have one additional seat, totaling her seats to six.
In addition, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape Mount, Maryland, Sinoe, and Bomi Counties will have one additional seat each, which will increase their legislative seats to four respectively.
But Rivercess, Grand Kru, Gbarpolu, and River Gee Counties will remain with their current seats as they fall below the threshold of the Committee.
The Committee relies its report on Article 80 (d) which grants the legislature the authority to set the population threshold for constituencies, following national census results, aiming for roughly equal representation.
In the report, the committee noted that heavily populated counties, including Montserrado, Nimba, Bong and Lofa, will see the most significant increases, reflecting updated population figures.
As the report sparked a significant debate among lawmakers, Hon. Anthony F. Williams District #2 Representative, Maryland County, made a motion that the report be received and accepted, selecting Thursday, April 23, 2026 as the date for the proposal to be debated on the legislative floor.