Ghana’s Path Toward Long-term Electoral Integrity: The role of blockchain technology

Introduction

Elections are the touchstone of democracy, and their integrity is only as strong as the trust they inspire. In Ghana, while the popular saying “elections are won at the polling station” reflects the importance of vigilance on election day, the real work of democracy begins long before and continues well after the votes are cast. The entire electoral process—from voter registration to the transmission of results—must be transparent, fair, and secure to ensure the trust of voters, political parties, and the public.

Under Article 45 of the 1992 Constitution, the EC is mandated with the following tasks:

2. Compile and revise the voters’ register.
3. Conduct and supervise all public elections and referenda.
4. Educate the public on electoral processes and systems.
5. Delimit constituencies.
6. Develop regulations for the effective performance of its functions.
7. Perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law

Since the establishment of the Fourth Republic, Ghana, through the EC has successfully conducted eight consecutive general elections by 2020, resulting in smooth transitions of power.

Elections serve as the primary avenue through which citizens express their preferences for political leadership. When the process is transparent, inclusive, and fair, it fosters national unity and strengthens confidence in democratic institutions. However, when the processes are marred by suspicion and lack of transparency, they erode public trust, leading to political acrimony and disputes.

With less than two months to go before the highly anticipated 2024 general elections, several pressing questions have taken on new urgency. As the nation stands on the brink of a pivotal moment, the stakes have never been higher, and the need for clear solutions is more critical than ever.

1. How can the integrity of voter registration be ensured to prevent irregularities?
2. What steps must be taken to guarantee transparency in vote counting and the secure transmission of results?
3. Can Ghana’s EC ever remain politically neutral and independent amid growing tensions?
4. How long will these unresolved issues persist before they undermine public confidence in the electoral process?
5. What specific factors continue to fuel suspicions of electoral misconduct, even in the face of Ghana’s long history of peaceful transitions?”

Addressing these challenges is crucial to restoring and strengthening public confidence in Ghana’s electoral system. This article proposes a multifaceted framework aimed at enhancing transparency, rebuilding trust, and ensuring the long-term integrity of electoral processes in Ghana.

 CHALLENGES IN GHANA’S ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Despite Ghana’s history of peaceful electoral transitions, several persistent challenges continue to threaten the credibility and legitimacy of its elections. These issues are centred on three key areas: voter registration, vote counting, and the perceived political influence over the EC. Addressing these challenges requires a deeper theoretical understanding of democratic principles and electoral integrity, which can be informed by Dahl’s theory of democracy and Pippa Norris’s framework on electoral integrity.

Dahl’s theory of democracy emphasizes two essential components for democratic legitimacy: broad political participation and the ability of citizens to contest electoral outcomes. According to Dahl, a legitimate democracy requires inclusive participation in electoral processes and transparent mechanisms for contestation. Blockchain technology can enhance these elements by ensuring accurate, secure vote counting and providing immutable records of electoral outcomes. By improving both participation and contestation, blockchain aligns with Dahl’s vision of a legitimate democratic process.

In light of these theoretical perspectives, the article now turns to examine the specific challenges facing Ghana’s electoral system:

1. Voter Registration Mistrust: Voter registration has long been a contentious issue in Ghana’s elections, with concerns about duplicate registrations and the inclusion of ineligible voters undermining public confidence. According to an Afrobarometer survey conducted ahead of the 2020 elections, 56% of Ghanaians expressed doubts about the integrity of the voter roll. Blockchain technology could address these concerns by creating a transparent, secure digital voter registry that is accessible to all stakeholders. This would ensure that every eligible voter is registered only once, restoring trust in the voter registration process and ensuring compliance with the democratic principle of inclusive participation.
2. Lack of Transparency in Vote Counting and Results Transmission: Post-election disputes have often arisen from delays in results transmission and accusations of tampering during vote counting. Allegations of discrepancies between polling station counts and the final tallies during the 2020 elections eroded public trust in the system. By introducing blockchain technology, which records votes in a transparent, tamper-proof ledger, election results can be transmitted in real time and verified by all parties simultaneously. This system aligns with Norris’s pillars of transparency and accountability, ensuring that results are accurate and accessible, and mitigating tensions over vote manipulation.
3. Political Influence on the Electoral Commission: One of the most significant threats to electoral integrity in Ghana is the perception of political bias within the EC, particularly regarding the appointment of its officials largely by incumbent governments. This perceived lack of neutrality has led to widespread mistrust, particularly among opposition parties. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized structure, reduces opportunities for political interference by ensuring that no single entity can control the electoral process. By enhancing transparency and ensuring fairness in the management of electoral data, blockchain supports Norris’s framework while helping restore public confidence in the EC’s perceived impartiality.

Ghana’s political landscape, dominated by the NPP and NDC, has historically been highly competitive, with both parties contesting election results. This environment has often led to disputes over the integrity of voter registration, vote counting, and the neutrality of the EC. The introduction of blockchain technology could play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by enhancing transparency and impartiality.

Furthermore, the involvement of international observers, such as the AU and ECOWAS, has underscored the importance of maintaining transparency to uphold electoral credibility. Blockchain technology, by aligning with the democratic principles outlined by Dahl and Norris, offers a robust framework for improving transparency, participation, and fairness in Ghana’s electoral system.

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY: REVOLUTIONIZING ELECTIONS FOR UNPARALLELED TRANSPARENCY

Blockchain technology offers a revolutionary approach to solving many of the transparency and trust issues plaguing Ghana’s electoral system. But what exactly is blockchain, and how can it be applied to ensure electoral integrity?

What is Blockchain?

For elections, blockchain’s decentralized structure means that no single party, like the EC or a political group, can interfere with the voting or results process. This ensures that the data remains secure and visible to everyone involved.

HOW BLOCKCHAIN CAN SOLVE KEY ELECTION PROBLEMS

1. Voter Registration: With blockchain, each voter would receive a unique, secure digital identity stored on the blockchain. This guarantees that every eligible voter is registered only once, preventing double registration or the inclusion of ineligible voters. Importantly, this data would be available to political parties and CSOs, ensuring that voter lists can be independently verified in real time.
2. Voting and Vote Recording: Blockchain enables secure, instant voting. Whether through digital or physical voting systems, each vote is encrypted and added to the blockchain as soon as it is cast. This eliminates the risk of tampering with votes or human error during counting.
   1. Digital Voting: Votes can be securely cast online and recorded immediately on the blockchain, where they cannot be altered.
   1. Hybrid Voting: In cases where physical voting is preferred, votes can still be digitally recorded and verified using blockchain technology, ensuring transparency even in manual processes.
3. Results Transmission: Blockchain can significantly improve the speed and transparency of results transmission. Results from polling stations can be securely transmitted to tally centres in real-time, with all stakeholders—including political parties, the media and observers—able to verify the data simultaneously.
   1. Real-Time Results: With blockchain, everyone sees the results as they are recorded, reducing opportunities for tampering and ensuring that results reflect the true vote count.
   1. Audit and Verification: Blockchain provides an automatic, traceable record of every vote and every step in the process. If disputes arise, blockchain’s immutable records can easily be audited, resolving disputes quickly and transparently.

REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS OF BLOCKCHAIN IN ELECTIONS

• Estonia: Estonia has been a global pioneer in e-governance and blockchain technology. Since 2005, Estonia has enabled its citizens to vote online, and by 2017, over 30% of Estonian voters were casting their ballots online. Estonia’s blockchain-based system secures voter data, providing tamper-proof records and allowing citizens to vote online with confidence. This has significantly boosted voter turnout and trust, with 46.7% of votes in the 2019 parliamentary election cast online.
• Sierra Leone: In 2018, Sierra Leone made history as the first country to pilot blockchain in a national election. While blockchain technology was used for results verification in only 70% of the voting districts, it provided an additional layer of transparency in the transmission of results. This experiment demonstrated the potential of blockchain to secure election data and increase trust, though it was not implemented nationwide.
• United States (West Virginia): In 2018, West Virginia became the first U.S. state to pilot blockchain voting, specifically for overseas military personnel. Using a secure mobile app, 144 voters from 24 counties cast their ballots through the blockchain system during the midterm elections. The pilot was deemed successful, with no security breaches or tampering reported, highlighting the system’s capacity to provide secure voting options for remote and overseas voters.

These examples show that blockchain can be adapted to different electoral environments, offering transparency, security, and increased voter confidence.

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF BLOCKCHAIN IN GHANA

While blockchain offers significant benefits, some challenges must be addressed to implement it successfully in Ghana:

1. Cost of Digital Infrastructure: Implementing blockchain requires substantial investment in infrastructure, including servers, secure networks, and continuous technical support. For a developing country like Ghana, these costs can be prohibitive, especially in rural areas with limited connectivity. Partnerships and resource mobilization are needed to overcome financial constraints.

2.    Digital Literacy: Varying levels of digital literacy in Ghana, particularly in rural areas, pose a challenge to blockchain adoption. Without a widespread understanding of digital systems, voters and election officials may struggle to engage with blockchain technology. Comprehensive voter education campaigns are essential to ensure inclusivity and trust in the system.

3.     Cybersecurity Concerns: While blockchain is secure, it still faces risks such as cyberattacks, privacy issues, and vulnerabilities in smart contracts. Ensuring voter privacy and safeguarding against attacks is critical. Regular security audits and collaboration with cybersecurity experts are essential for protecting the system.

• Legal Frameworks: Ghana’s electoral laws will need to be updated to accommodate blockchain technology. Legal provisions must govern how blockchain is used, including regulations for auditing, dispute resolution, and data privacy protection.
• Political Resistance to Electoral Reforms
• Resistance from Entrenched Elites: Electoral reforms like blockchain often face pushback from political elites who benefit from the status quo. In Ghana’s competitive political environment, where the NPP and NDC have both contested election results, reforms aimed at increasing transparency may be seen as a threat to those who hold power. This resistance is driven by a desire to maintain control over key electoral processes, such as the appointment of EC officials and the management of voter rolls.
• Opposition Concerns over Electoral Neutrality: Opposition parties may resist blockchain reforms if they believe the technology will not address broader concerns about the neutrality of the Electoral Commission (EC). While blockchain can enhance transparency in the voting process, it may not directly tackle political influence over the EC, particularly in the appointment of officials, leading to scepticism among opposition parties.
• Complexity and Disruption Fears: Blockchain technology requires significant changes to existing electoral infrastructure, which could be seen as disruptive. Political actors unfamiliar with the technology may fear losing control over the electoral process due to the perceived complexity or potential for technical failures, especially in rural areas with limited digital infrastructure. This fear of disruption can further fuel resistance to its implementation.
• Challenges in Building Political Consensus: Securing broad political buy-in for blockchain reforms can be difficult, particularly given past criticisms of exclusion and marginalization within IPAC. Without inclusive dialogue among political parties, civil society organizations, and the public, blockchain reforms risk becoming another source of contention, potentially exacerbating existing political disputes rather than resolving them.
• Resistance from the Electoral Commission: The EC may also resist blockchain reforms if it perceives them as undermining its autonomy. Blockchain’s decentralized nature could reduce the EC’s discretionary power over electoral data management, leading to concerns about losing control over the electoral process. The commission’s potential resistance highlights the need for clarity on its role in the new system to avoid conflicts.

THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN ELECTORAL INTEGRITY

Blockchain technology, while promising, cannot address the deeper issues of trust in Ghana’s electoral system on its own. For genuine transparency and accountability, all key stakeholders—political parties, CSOs, the media, and the general public—must be involved in the reform process.

Political Parties: Engaging political parties in the design and monitoring of the electoral process is critical to reducing post-election disputes. IPAC has historically played a key role in shaping electoral reforms, but recent criticisms of exclusion must be addressed. All parties need a voice in electoral decisions to foster a sense of ownership and build trust in the process.

CSOs: CSOs, such as the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), play a vital role in monitoring elections and providing independent oversight. Their involvement in verifying voter registration, observing vote counting, and auditing results transmission is crucial to maintaining accountability and transparency.

Media and Public Engagement: The media has an essential role in educating the public and reporting on electoral developments. Training journalists to accurately report on blockchain and its role in securing elections will help reduce misinformation and increase public confidence. Additionally, voter education campaigns should focus on explaining blockchain’s benefits in simple terms, ensuring that voters understand how their votes are secured and counted.

LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS FOR A TRANSPARENT ELECTION

For blockchain and stakeholder engagement to succeed, they must be supported by strong legal and institutional reforms. A clear regulatory framework and an independent Electoral Commission are essential for ensuring trust in the electoral process.

1. Updating Electoral Laws: Ghana’s laws must be modernized to define how blockchain will be used in voter registration, voting, and results transmission. Penalties for tampering or manipulating the system should be clearly outlined to protect the integrity of the election.
2. Strengthening the Independence of the EC: The EC must be politically independent to ensure public trust. Reforms could include independent appointments of EC officials and protections against political interference.
3. Oversight Mechanisms: Legal reforms should ensure that independent bodies, including CSOs and election observers, have access to blockchain-based election data for auditing and real-time verification.
4. Dispute Resolution: The legal framework must establish clear procedures for addressing election disputes using blockchain’s transparent records. These procedures should be efficient and publicly accessible to ensure quick, fair resolutions.

CAPACITY BUILDING AND VOTER EDUCATION

For blockchain and electoral reforms to be effective, comprehensive capacity-building initiatives and voter education campaigns are essential. These efforts will ensure that election officials, political parties, CSOs, and voters understand and trust the new system.

1. Training Election Officials: Officials at all levels must be trained to manage blockchain systems, troubleshoot issues, and ensure security throughout the election cycle.
2. Educating Political Parties and CSOs: Political parties and CSOs should be trained to audit and verify blockchain data in real time, building confidence in the system’s transparency and reducing the likelihood of disputes.
3. Public Awareness Campaigns: Voter education campaigns should focus on simplifying blockchain, explaining how it protects their votes and ensures transparency. Special efforts must be made to reach rural and underserved areas, using local languages and culturally relevant communication.

CONCLUSION: REAFFIRMING THE ROLE OF BLOCKCHAIN IN GHANA’S ELECTORAL INTEGRITY

Blockchain technology presents a powerful solution to the persistent challenges undermining the credibility of Ghana’s electoral system. By aligning with Dahl’s theory of democracy and Pippa Norris’s framework on electoral integrity, blockchain addresses key concerns in voter registration, vote counting, and political influence over the EC, offering a pathway to enhanced democratic legitimacy.

Dahl’s theory emphasizes the importance of broad political participation and transparent contestation mechanisms—both critical for resolving issues in Ghana’s electoral processes. Blockchain enhances these principles by ensuring that every vote is securely and accurately counted while providing transparent, tamper-proof records that can be contested and verified in real-time. This ensures that electoral outcomes are not only legitimate but also accessible to all stakeholders.

Similarly, Norris’s framework highlights the four pillars essential for credible elections: transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and fairness. Blockchain technology strengthens each of these pillars by enabling real-time public access to electoral data, creating immutable records that ensure accountability, and safeguarding the integrity of voter registration and vote counting. By decentralizing control over electoral data, blockchain minimizes the potential for political influence within the EC, addressing concerns over bias and restoring public confidence in the impartiality of the Commission.

Ultimately, blockchain’s ability to enhance transparency, participation, and fairness offers a practical and robust solution for improving electoral integrity in Ghana. By implementing this technology alongside the necessary legal and institutional reforms, Ghana can restore public trust in its electoral processes, ensuring that future elections are free, fair, and reflective of the true will of its people.