The vice president of the Republic of Liberia is the second-highest executive official in Liberia, and one of only two elected executive offices along with the president. The vice president is elected on the same ticket with the president to a six-year term. In the event of the death, resignation or removal of the president, the vice president ascends to the presidency, and holds the position for the remainder of their predecessor's term. The vice president also serves as the president of the Senate and may cast a vote in the event of a tie. The current vice president is Jeremiah Koung, serving under president Joseph Boakai. He began his term on January 22, 2024.
Qualifications Article 52 of the Constitution lays out the qualifications for candidates for vice president. To be eligible for office under the current Constitution, a vice presidential candidate must:
be a natural born citizen of Liberia; be at least thirty-five years old; own real property valued at least $25,000; have resided in Liberia for at least ten years.
Additionally, the vice president may not reside in the same county as the president.
Succession Under Article 63(b), the vice president ascends to the presidency in the event of president's death, resignation, impeachment, or when the president is declared incapable of carrying out the duties of the office. In the event of ascension, the vice president serves as president for the remainder of their predecessor's term, though this period is not considered a term for the purposes of term limits to the presidency. According to Article 63(a), should the president-elect die or become otherwise incapacitated before his or her inauguration, the vice president-elect is sworn in as president in their place, though a term of this nature does constitute a term for the purposes of determining term limits.
To date, five vice presidents have ascended to the presidency, either due to the president's death, resignation, or removal from office: James Skivring Smith, Alfred Francis Russell, William D. Coleman, William Tolbert, and Moses Blah.
There have been twelve vacancies in the office, the first of which occurred between October 26, 1871 and January 1, 1872; after the ascension of James Skivring Smith to the office of president. The most recent vacancy was between August 11, 2003 and January 16, 2006; after the ascension of Moses Blah to the office of president and prior to the election of Joseph Boakai.
List of officeholders Political parties
Other affiliations
Symbols Died in office
Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected President Notes Took office Left office Time in office 1 Nathaniel Brander Independent 1847 Roberts 2 Anthony D. Williams Independent 1849 1851 3 Stephen Allen Benson Republican Party 1853 4 Beverly Page Yates Independent 1855 Benson 1857 5 Daniel Bashiel Warner Republican Party 1859 1861 6 James M. Priest Republican Party 1863 Warner 1865 7 Joseph Gibson Republican Party 1867 Payne 8 James Skivring Smith True Whig Party 1869 Roye Vacancy by ascension Smith 9 Anthony W. Gardner Republican Party 1871 Roberts 1873 10 Charles Harmon Republican Party 1875 Payne 11 Alfred Francis Russell True Whig Party 1877 Gardner 1879 1881 Vacancy by ascension Russell 12 James Thompson True Whig Party 1883 Johnson 1885 1887 1889 13 William D. Coleman True Whig Party 1891 Cheeseman 1893 1895 Vacancy by ascension Coleman 14 Joseph J. Ross True Whig Party 1897 1899 Vacancy by death Gibson 15 Joseph D. Summerville True Whig Party 1901 1903 A. Barclay Vacancy by death 16 James Jenkins Dossen years True Whig Party 1905 1907 17 Samuel George Harmon True Whig Party 1911 Howard 1915 18 Samuel Alfred Ross True Whig Party 1919 King 19 Henry Too Wesley True Whig Party 1923 20 Allen Yancy True Whig Party 1927 Vacancy by resignation 1930 E. Barclay 21 James Skivring Smith Jr. 1930 years True Whig Party 1931 1935 22 Clarence Lorenzo Simpson True Whig Party 1943 Tubman 23 William Tolbert True Whig Party 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 Vacancy by ascension April 1972 1971 Tolbert 24 James Edward Greene April 1972 True Whig Party 1975 Vacancy by death 25 Bennie Dee Warner True Whig Party Vacancy due to People's Redemption Council 26 Harry Moniba National Democratic Party 1985 Doe Vacancy due to First Liberian Civil War 27 Enoch Dogolea National Patriotic Party 1997 Taylor Vacancy by death 28 Moses Blah National Patriotic Party Vacancy by ascension Blah Vacancy due to Accra Peace Agreement 29 Joseph Boakai Unity Party 2005 Sirleaf 2011 30 Jewel Taylor years National Patriotic Party 2017 Weah 31 Jeremiah Koung Incumbent Unity Party 2023 Boakai
Timeline
See also Lists of office-holders List of current vice presidents
Notes
References