Vice President of Liberia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Republic of Liberia
Coat of arms of Liberia
Incumbent Jeremiah Koung since January 22, 2024
Style	Mr. Vice President (Informal) His Excellency (Formal)
Term length	Six years
Inaugural holder	Nathaniel Brander January 3, 1848
Formation	1847 Constitution of Liberia July 26, 1847

The Vice President of Liberia is a very important leader in the country. They are the second-highest official, right after the President. Both the President and Vice President are chosen by the people in an election. They serve for six years together.

If something happens to the President, like if they resign or are removed from office, the Vice President steps in. They become the new President and finish the rest of the original term. The Vice President also leads the Senate, which is part of Liberia's government. If there's a tie vote in the Senate, the Vice President can cast the deciding vote. The current Vice President is Jeremiah Koung. He started his term on January 22, 2024, working with President Joseph Boakai.

Becoming Vice President: What You Need to Know

To become the Vice President of Liberia, a person must meet certain requirements. These rules are written in Article 52 of Liberia's Constitution.

Here are the main things a candidate needs:

• They must be born a citizen of Liberia.
• They need to be at least 35 years old.
• They must own land or property worth at least $25,000.
• They must have lived in Liberia for at least ten years.

Also, the Vice President and the President cannot live in the same county. This rule helps spread leadership across different areas.

What Happens if the President Can't Serve?

If the President can no longer do their job, the Vice President takes over. This can happen if the President passes away, resigns, or is removed from office. It also happens if they are declared unable to carry out their duties.

When the Vice President takes over, they become President for the rest of the original term. This time does not count as a full term if they decide to run for President later. If a President-elect (someone chosen to be President but not yet in office) cannot serve, the Vice President-elect becomes President instead. This situation does count as a full term for them.

Throughout history, five Vice Presidents have become President:

• James Skivring Smith
• Alfred Francis Russell
• William D. Coleman
• William Tolbert
• Moses Blah

The office of Vice President has been empty twelve times. The first time was in 1871, after James Skivring Smith became President. The most recent time was from 2003 to 2006, after Moses Blah became President.

Past Vice Presidents of Liberia

Here is a list of the people who have served as Vice President of Liberia.

Political parties

     Republican Party      True Whig Party      National Democratic Party      National Patriotic Party      Unity Party

Other affiliations

     Independent

Symbols

Died in office

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	Elected	President		Notes
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Nathaniel Brander (1796–1870)	January 3, 1848	January 7, 1850	2 years, 4 days	Independent	1847		Roberts
2		Anthony D. Williams (1799–1860)	January 7, 1850	January 2, 1854	3 years, 360 days	Independent	1849
							1851
3		Stephen Allen Benson (1816–1865)	January 2, 1854	January 7, 1856	2 years, 5 days	Independent	1853
4		Beverly Page Yates (1811–1883)	January 7, 1856	January 2, 1860	3 years, 360 days	Independent	1855		Benson
							1857
5		Daniel Bashiel Warner (1815–1880)	January 2, 1860	January 4, 1864	4 years, 2 days	Independent	1859
							1861
6		James M. Priest (1819–1883)	January 4, 1864	January 6, 1868	4 years, 2 days	Republican Party	1863		Warner
							1865
7		Joseph Gibson (1823–1886)	January 6, 1868	January 3, 1870	1 year, 362 days	Republican Party	1867		Payne
8		James Skivring Smith (1825–1884)	January 3, 1870	October 26, 1871 (Ascended)	1 year, 296 days	True Whig Party	1869		Roye
Vacancy by ascension			October 26, 1871	January 1, 1872					Smith
9		Anthony W. Gardiner (1820–1885)	January 1, 1872	January 3, 1876	4 years, 2 days	Republican Party	1871		Roberts
							1873
10		Charles Harmon (1832–1886)	January 3, 1876	January 7, 1878	2 years, 4 days	Republican Party	1875		Payne
11		Alfred Francis Russell (1817–1884)	January 7, 1878	January 20, 1883 (Ascended)	5 years, 13 days	True Whig Party	1877		Gardiner
							1879
							1881
Vacancy by ascension			January 20, 1883	January 7, 1884					Russell
12		James Thompson (?–?)	January 7, 1884	January 4, 1892	7 years, 362 days	True Whig Party	1883		Johnson
							1885
							1887
							1889
13		William D. Coleman (1842–1908)	January 4, 1892	November 12, 1896 (Ascended)	4 years, 313 days	True Whig Party	1891		Cheeseman
							1893
							1895
Vacancy by ascension			November 12, 1896	January 3, 1898					Coleman
14		Joseph J. Ross (1842–1899)	January 3, 1898	October 24, 1899	1 year, 294 days	True Whig Party	1897
							1899
Vacancy by death			October 24, 1899	January 6, 1902
									Gibson
15		Joseph D. Summerville (1860–1905)	January 6, 1902	July 27, 1905	3 years, 202 days	True Whig Party	1901
							1903		A. Barclay
Vacancy by death			July 27, 1905	January 1, 1906
16		James Jenkins Dossen (1866–1924)	January 1, 1906	January 1, 1912	6 years	True Whig Party	1905
							1907
17		Samuel George Harmon (1861–1925)	January 1, 1912	January 5, 1920	8 years, 4 days	True Whig Party	1911		Howard
							1915
18		Samuel Alfred Ross (1870–1929)	January 5, 1920	January 1, 1924	3 years, 361 days	True Whig Party	1919		King
19		Henry Too Wesley (1877–1944)	January 1, 1924	January 2, 1928	4 years, 1 day	True Whig Party	1923
20		Allen Yancy (1881–1941)	January 2, 1928	December 3, 1930 (Resigned)	2 years, 335 days	True Whig Party	1927
Vacancy by resignation			December 3, 1930	1930					E. Barclay
21		James Skivring Smith Jr. (1891–1950)	1930	January 3, 1944	13–14 years	True Whig Party
							1931
							1939
22		Clarence Lorenzo Simpson (1896–1969)	January 3, 1944	January 1, 1952	7 years, 363 days	True Whig Party	1943		Tubman
23		William Tolbert (1913–1980)	January 1, 1952	July 23, 1971 (Ascended)	19 years, 203 days	True Whig Party	1951
							1955
							1959
							1963
							1967
Vacancy by ascension			July 23, 1971	April 1972			1971		Tolbert
24		James Edward Greene (1914–1977)	April 1972	July 22, 1977	5 years, 112 days	True Whig Party
							1975
Vacancy by death			July 22, 1977	October 31, 1977
25		Bennie Dee Warner (1935–2024)	October 31, 1977	April 12, 1980 (Deposed)	2 years, 164 days	True Whig Party
Vacancy due to People's Redemption Council			April 12, 1980	January 6, 1986
26		Harry Moniba (1937–2004)	January 6, 1986	September 9, 1990 (Deposed)	4 years, 246 days	National Democratic Party	1985		Doe
Vacancy due to First Liberian Civil War			September 9, 1990	August 2, 1997
27		Enoch Dogolea (1951–2000)	August 2, 1997	June 24, 2000	2 years, 327 days	National Patriotic Party	1997		Taylor
Vacancy by death			June 24, 2000	July 24, 2000
28		Moses Blah (1947–2013)	July 24, 2000	August 11, 2003	3 years, 18 days	National Patriotic Party
Vacancy by ascension			August 11, 2003	October 3, 2003					Blah
Vacancy due to Accra Peace Agreement			October 3, 2003	January 16, 2006
29		Joseph Boakai (born 1944)	January 16, 2006	January 22, 2018	12 years, 6 days	Unity Party	2005		Sirleaf
							2011
30		Jewel Taylor (born 1963)	January 22, 2018	January 22, 2024	6 years	National Patriotic Party	2017		Weah
31		Jeremiah Koung (born 1978)	January 22, 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 149 days	Unity Party	2023		Boakai

Timeline of Vice Presidents

More to Explore

In Spanish: Vicepresidente de Liberia para niños

• Lists of office-holders
• List of current vice presidents