“Election Observation and Public Confidence in the Outcome of the 2023 General Elections in Liberia”

This study seeks to determine whether assessments by Liberians of the credibility of Liberia's 2023 elections are influenced by international and/or domestic observer statements regarding the electoral process and the outcome. Building on previous research, public opinion data, and a pre-election survey conducted by the National Elections Commission and donor partners prior to the October 2023 general elections, we develop a theory regarding the influence of observer reports on public confidence regarding the freeness, fairness, and accuracy of the results of Liberia's 2023 elections. We then detail testable hypotheses and provide a survey experiment to explore whether, and under what conditions, international and domestic election observers influence assessments of election outcomes by ordinary Liberians.