February 11, 2025

Special Voting Begins Today; Western and Eastern Regions Rescheduled for December 5

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special volting

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has officially launched the Special Voting exercise today, providing a chance for election officials, security personnel, and media practitioners to cast their votes ahead of the general elections, which are set to take place on December 7, 2024. The Special Voting is part of the Commission’s efforts to ensure a smooth and efficient electoral process for those directly involved in the elections.

Originally, the Special Voting was planned to take place across 328 centers, but due to unforeseen issues, the EC has made adjustments. The exercise in the Western and Eastern Regions has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 5, 2024. This change was necessary after the discovery of a ballot leakage incident, which led to the recall and reprinting of the affected ballots. The Commission is taking all necessary measures to prevent such issues from recurring.

A total of 131,478 individuals are eligible to participate in the Special Voting process, which represents a small fraction—about 0.007%—of Ghana’s total voter population of 18.7 million. The polls will run from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, giving the designated voters a full day to cast their ballots. The Special Voting allows those involved in the election process, including election officials, security personnel, and journalists, to vote in advance, ensuring they can focus on their duties on election day.

Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the EC, reassured the public last Friday that the Commission is fully prepared to conduct a transparent, credible, and peaceful election. She provided clarity regarding the voting process, particularly for security personnel and journalists. Those who did not apply for Special Voting will not be able to vote today, but they will have the opportunity to do so on December 7, during the main elections.

Mensa also emphasized that the ballots cast in the Special Voting will not be counted on the day they are cast. Instead, the ballots will be securely stored and will be tallied on December 7 at the Constituency Collation Centres, alongside those from the main election. The results from the Special Voting will be recorded separately for both the Presidential and Parliamentary elections. They will then be merged with the results from all polling stations during the final tally. This procedure ensures that the Special Voting process does not disrupt the integrity of the election results.

In order to maintain the security and integrity of the Special Voting process, the EC has implemented several safeguards. All ballot boxes from the Special Voting exercise will be securely sealed and stored in police stations within each constituency. This step is designed to prevent tampering with the ballots before they are counted. Additionally, Presiding Officers have been instructed not to count the ballots on the day they are cast, in order to avoid any premature results.

The recent ballot leakage incident in the Eastern and Western Regions raised concerns among political parties and the public. In response, the EC recalled the affected ballots and ordered them to be reprinted. Both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have called for a thorough investigation into the leakage. They expressed concerns about the potential impact of the incident on the credibility of the election process. In response, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, the Inspector-General of Police and Chair of the National Elections Security Taskforce, reassured the public that strong security measures are in place to ensure the elections are conducted smoothly and securely.

The Special Voting exercise is just one part of the broader preparations for Ghana’s general elections. The country is set to elect a new president and 276 Members of Parliament (MPs) on December 7, 2024. The EC’s efforts to ensure transparency, security, and fairness during the Special Voting are expected to set the stage for a successful election. With all measures in place to handle potential issues such as the ballot leakage, the EC and its security partners remain committed to overseeing a peaceful and credible election process.

While the Special Voting is a small part of the overall electoral process, it is an important step in ensuring that those responsible for conducting the election are able to participate without interference from their duties. The EC’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of the process, especially in light of recent challenges, is vital for maintaining public confidence in the upcoming general elections.

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