–Sets November 20
Monrovia — The Coalition of Political Parties Women in Liberia (COPPWIL) will hold its National Convention and Elections on Friday, November 20, 2026, with 271 official delegates expected to cast ballots in a one-day exercise that will also feature constitutional amendments and a discussion on the future of the organization.
According to the convention plan, the electoral college will comprise 245 delegates drawn from 49 registered political parties — five from each — alongside 26 local county chapter delegates, two from each of the 13 counties, namely the local chair and secretary. Observers will be permitted to participate in deliberations but will not be allowed to vote.
The venue is yet to be determined, with the UN Women and SALI offices under consideration, while feeding arrangements are also to be announced.
Organizers have constituted five committees to steer the process. A seven-member Convention and Elections Steering Committee will oversee the exercise, drawing three caucus members, two women-led civil society organizations, one COPPWIL member and one representative of the Inter-Party Consultative Committee (IPCC).
Four sub-committees will support the process: Program and Mobilization (five persons), Application and Vetting (five persons), Ways, Means and Finance (three persons), and Elections and Monitoring (five persons). The WLCL Secretariat will serve as secretary to all committees. Members of the five committees are barred from voting, and all COPPWIL members serving on convention committees, including national chairladies, cannot contest or vote.
Activities leading to the convention opened on August 25 with the announcement of convention activities across all chatrooms and media platforms, followed by the selection of sub-committee members on August 28. The sub-committees were established with their terms of reference by September 1.
Applications opened to prospective candidates on September 10, with the deadline for submission set for September 30. Vetting of applicants is scheduled for October 15–16, while the identification and compilation of delegates from political parties and local chapters will run from October 10 to 19.
Shortlisted candidates will be officially announced on October 19, the same day the names and numbers of electorate members will be published and the official campaign period opens. Campaigning ends at midnight on November 19, with no campaigning permitted on the day of the convention to avoid unforeseen circumstances. A press conference is scheduled for November 19, ahead of the convention the following day. Throughout the campaign period, radio interviews and talk shows will be held to re-energize the organization and the public.
Guidelines issued for the convention require all delegates to be bona fide members selected from registered political parties, with chairladies working in close consultation with their parties’ national chairpersons to ensure transparency. Delegate lists must be signed by both the national chairladies and the parties’ chairmen.
Selection must include national chairladies, four members of the executive committee of the women’s wing of each party, and females on the party’s executive committee. All accredited delegates must be in good and regular standing with COPPWIL, meaning they must have paid dues for the six months preceding the convention at $200.00 Liberian dollars per month.
All COPPWIL members in good standing who wish to contest may apply. Contest fees are set at $175.00 USD for President; $125.00 USD each for Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Operations, Secretary-General, Assistant Secretary for Finance, and Treasurer; and $75.00 USD for Chaplain.
The convention opens at 9:00 a.m. with registration and breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. From 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., delegates will consider amendments for insertion into the constitution, formally adopt the amendments, and discuss the future of COPPWIL and other matters. Lunch follows from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., after which candidates will make presentations from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Elections will run from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., with results announced and the convention closed at 6:00 p.m. Organizers note the program is subject to adjustments. The convention and elections are set for the third Friday in November, and all activities are being coordinated by the WLCL and the Board.
