00:00 Vote counting is underway in Liberia. Some tallying beginning in torchlight after polls
00:06 closed on Tuesday.
00:10 This election will test the popularity of incumbent president George Weir.
00:14 He's a beloved soccer star who rose from the slums of the capital Monrovia to play for
00:19 some of the world's biggest clubs. His first term, however, has failed to chip away at
00:24 the impoverished country's enduring problems. Weir says he needs more time.
00:32 The Electoral Commission reported that turnout among Liberia's 2.4 million eligible voters
00:37 was high. And at a polling station in Monrovia, resident Emmanuel Jaller says that's significant.
00:43 "It's extremely high. It's higher than any other election. That means there's something
00:47 happening in Liberia. In my mind, there are two things happening. Number one, it's a lot
00:53 of work time, or we're tired."
00:57 Weir has built hospitals and introduced free education. But he's also faced criticism for
01:03 allegedly not doing enough to tackle corruption.
01:07 Main rival Joseph Buakai has campaigned on what he calls the need to rescue Liberia from
01:13 mismanagement.
01:16 Some analysts have suggested the election will head to a run-off, with Weir ultimately
01:20 emerging victorious. A team of observers from the economic community of West African states
01:25 said voting was calm and that no major incidents were reported.
01:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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