The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Operations Advisor on the Electoral Process has revealed that about 1.3 million Liberians have registered to vote in the ensuing 2005 elections. Mr. Bjornsson disclosed the figure when he spokes on the mission run FM radio Station last night.

Mr. Bjornsson who wouldn’t give a complete breakdown of the figure relative to the number of people registered in each of the 15 political sub-divisions of Liberia, said it will take additional two weeks to get the accurate statistics.

According to him, figures of registered voters for Montserrado and Margi counties have been received and are being processed, while the rest of the other counties are in the process of sending in their reports.

Commenting on the general atmosphere of the exercise, the UNMIL Electoral Advisor described the voters’ registration process as “very unique and positive.”

Expressing delight over the turnout, Mr. Bjornsson said from the initial stage of the exercise it was very difficult owing to lack of accurate information on the population for each of the 15 counties.

Meanwhile, the elections commission has extended the voters’ registration exercise for additional two weeks to cater to only Liberian refugees who are returning home to participate in the process.

The exercise, he said would be carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee agency-UNHCR at a specific location in each of the counties.

At the end of the additional two weeks exercise, he said that all registered voters’ names would be placed on display at the various registration centers across the country to enable people to scrutinize the lists.