By By Danlette Washington
A major conversation about civic participation and voting rights of Liberians living outside the country is coming to Columbus this fall as the Liberian Overseas Voting Rights Summit 2026, under the theme “Paving the Way for Out-of-Country Voting,” will take place Saturday, October 3, 2026, at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business Rotunda in Columbus, Ohio.
The summit is being organized by the All Liberian Conference on Dual Citizenship (ALCOD) in collaboration with The Ohio State University (OSU) and the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA).
The one-day summit will bring together Liberian diaspora leaders, legal and constitutional experts, election officials and researchers, policymakers, academics, young professionals, community advocates and other stakeholders to examine the legal, constitutional, policy and practical considerations surrounding Out-of-Country Voting (OCV) for Liberians abroad.
According to the organizers, the goal is to discuss the idea of overseas voting and begin a substantive conversation about what a workable framework could look like for Liberia.
ALCOD Director of Public Relations and Communications, Danlette Washington said the summit represents an important next step in bringing the diaspora’s concerns into a broader national conversation.
“Liberians living abroad have continued to contribute to Liberia through remittances, investments, professional expertise, advocacy and community development. We believe that contribution should also be reflected in our participation in the democratic process. This summit is about bringing the right people together to have a serious conversation about the pathway toward Out-of-Country Voting.”
Washington added that the summit is intended to create space for perspectives from both Liberia and the diaspora.
“We are not approaching this as a conversation that belongs to one organization or one group. It is a national conversation. We want lawyers, election experts, policymakers, researchers, young people, women, community leaders and Liberians across the diaspora to be part of it.”
The summit’s program is expected to examine several dimensions of OCV, including the legal and constitutional pathway, comparative international models, institutional and electoral implementation, and diaspora advocacy and community mobilization.
Panels will bring together experts with different areas of experience, including electoral administration, constitutional and election law, public policy, research, diaspora engagement, communications and civic participation.
Among those invited or confirmed to participate are representatives and experts connected to Liberia’s electoral and policy landscape, as well as members of the Liberian diaspora in the United States and elsewhere.
Eminent Emmanuel S. Wettee, Global Chairman of ALCOD, is expected to provide opening remarks and participate in the summit’s broader leadership and advocacy efforts.
Wettee said the summit reflects the growing importance of the Liberian diaspora in the country’s development and democratic future.
“The Liberian diaspora has long played a significant role in Liberia’s development through remittances, investment, expertise and civic engagement. This summit represents an important opportunity to bring together stakeholders from Liberia and across the diaspora to explore pathways toward greater democratic participation and strengthen the relationship between our nation and its global community.”
The summit comes as conversations about the role of Liberians abroad continue to evolve.
For ALCOD, the OCV discussion builds on its broader work around the rights and participation of Liberians in the diaspora.
Organizers say the October gathering is intended to move the discussion beyond social media conversations and community discussions toward a more structured examination of the legal and institutional questions that would have to be addressed.
The summit will also provide an opportunity to examine how other African countries have established external voting systems and what lessons, challenges and possibilities Liberia could consider.
The program currently includes sessions on:
The legal pathway to Out-of-Country voting, comparative models of external voting, institutional design and implementation, diaspora advocacy and community mobilization, and a working session focused on developing recommendations and a roadmap forward
The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it is open to the public and free to attend, with refreshments provided.
Organizers are encouraging Liberians in Ohio and across the diaspora as well as interested stakeholders internationally, to register and participate.
“This is bigger than one summit,” Washington said. “We want the October 3 conversation to help create momentum for continued engagement, research, advocacy and dialogue around Out-of-Country Voting. Our contribution deserves representation.”
Liberian Overseas Voting Rights Summit 2026
October 3, 2026
Fischer College of Business Rotunda, The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Free Event | Refreshments Provided
Register: https://form.jotform.com/262214121994050
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