Liberians at polls in general elections

Incumbent President and recent Nobel peace laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is standing for re-election, with her principal challenger in former U.N. diplomat Winston Tubman – though 14 others are also running. The presidency especially has been hotly contested, with some prognosticators predicting a possible second-round run-off between Johnson-Sirleaf and Tubman. Eight years into peace, Liberia has seen growing investment in its iron and gold mines and has convinced donors to waive most of its debt, though many residents complain of a lack of basic services, high food prices, rampant crime and corruption. Unemployment remains high, and many wounded war veterans beg on the streets of the seaside capital. Average income stands at $300 a year - below the $1 per day benchmark for extreme poverty. Johnson-Sirleaf initially ruled out a second term, but has since said she needs one given the great challenges still facing her country. Listen