Election 2024: Special Voting Begins Today
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has commenced the Special Voting exercise today, December 1, 2024, marking a key step in the run-up to the December 7 general elections.
This exercise allows specific categories of voters, such as election officials, security personnel, and media practitioners, to cast their ballots early to ensure their participation while performing their duties on election day.
A total of 131,478 voters, representing just 0.007% of the 18.7 million registered voters, are expected to take part in the Special Voting.
Ballot Recall in Western and Eastern Regions
While the exercise is set to begin smoothly in most parts of the country, the EC has however announced that the Special Voting in the Western and Eastern Regions has been rescheduled to Thursday, December 5, 2024. This change follows a decision by the EC to recall all ballots for these regions after a single defaced ballot paper was identified.
In an emergency press briefing held on Sunday, December 1, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa explained the rationale behind the recall saying “Some have posed the question… why would you reprint all the ballots when it’s only a single defaced ballot paper that was taken out of the printing house? Our avowed intention is to ensure and guarantee the integrity of the 2024 election,” she stated. “It has not been an easy decision to recall a ballot simply because a defaced ballot paper has been taken out of the printing press. But… we are of the view that this is important… to guarantee and ensure the integrity of the elections.”
Polling Hours and Procedures
The Special Voting exercise is set to run from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm today, with the EC urging all eligible voters within the special categories to cast their votes within the specified hours.
The exercise is designed to ensure that personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), National Security, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Information Services Department, Members of the National Ambulance Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Prisons Service, Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Police Service, and the National Media Commission can perform their duties on December 7 without the pressure of voting while managing the election process.
Madam Jean Mensa announced that the ballots from the Special Voting exercise will not be counted right away. They will be counted on December 7 at the Constituency Collation Centres and then added to the main election results.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
