An Unbelievable Tally
In 1927, Liberia held general elections that produced one of the most improbable vote counts in world history. Charles D. B. King, the incumbent president and leader of the True Whig Party, was declared the winner with 229,527 votes—despite only 19,000 registered voters in the country. His opponent, Thomas J. R. Faulkner of the People’s Party, officially received just 8,992 votes. The official total—238,519 votes—meant that voter turnout had exceeded 1,200%.
A Reform Campaign Crushed
Thomas Faulkner, formerly mayor of Monrovia, had run on a platform calling for reform of labor laws. Despite his efforts, the election outcome showed a near-total sweep by King, who secured over 96% of the reported vote. The scale of the discrepancy drew attention both within Liberia and internationally.
International Outcry
After the election, Faulkner accused government officials of using forced labor and selling Liberians to the Spanish colony of Fernando Po. The League of Nations responded by forming an international commission led by British jurist Cuthbert Christy. Their 1930 report found that forced labor was widespread and implicated top government officials.
A Swift Resignation
With mounting pressure, Liberia’s House of Representatives initiated impeachment against King. He resigned before the process concluded, and Edwin Barclay took over the presidency.
