Former Vice President Joseph Boakai has taken a slim lead over President George Weah, the National Elections Commission disclosed as it began releasing results from the November 14 runoff election. Boakai has secured a vote of 193,041, accounting for 50.71% of the tally, while President Weah closely follows with 187,615 votes, representing 49.29%, according to initial results released by the electoral body on November 15. For Weah or Boakai to win, analysts noted it would depend on who performs better in areas traditionally loyal to their opponent. A potential victory for Weah would also be groundbreaking, with him becoming the first candidate in Liberian history to defeat the same political opponent twice. In the 2017 runoff, Weah secured a decisive win against Boakai, with a 61.5% to 38.5% margin in the runoff after winning the first round with a 10% margin.
