Ghanaians are gearing up for the polls today, Saturday, December 7, 2024, to elect a new president, marking the end of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s constitutionally limited second term in office.
As the election season heats up, candidates are presenting their visions amid verbal sparring matches.
The contest is primarily between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which have alternated in the presidential seat for the past 32 years.
Key issues dominating the election discourse include youth unemployment, education, the economy, corruption, and healthcare.
These pressing concerns are expected to influence the voting decisions of Ghana’s eligible voters.
As Ghana prepares for the upcoming general elections on December 7, 2024, the Electoral Commission (EC) has introduced several new measures to enhance the electoral process.
Several introductions and developments have never been witnessed in previous general elections.
Here are a few:
Deceased Presidential Candidate on the Ballot:
The untimely demise of Akua Donkor, founder and presidential candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), raised critical questions regarding her position in the 2024 presidential election.
In a surprising turn of events, the EC confirmed that the deceased presidential candidate would remain on the ballot because, at the time of her demise, most of the presidential ballots had already been printed, and reprinting without her image would cost a loss to the state.
Electronic Tallying of Votes:
In a bid to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the electoral process, the Electoral Commission (EC) has introduced electronic tallying of votes for the 2024 general elections.
This innovative approach is expected to facilitate accuracy without conflicting figures by the EC.
The electronic tallying system is designed to streamline the process of collecting and counting votes from various polling stations nationwide.
Addition of one constituency
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has announced the creation of a new constituency, Guan Constituency, for the 2024 general elections.
This development is part of the commission’s efforts to ensure that the electoral process is fair and representative of the country’s growing population.
According to the Electoral Commission, the new constituency was created to address the issue of unequal representation in certain areas of the country.
The creation of the Guan Constituency brings the total number of constituencies in Ghana to 276.
Regional Collation Centers
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has introduced regional collation centres for the 2024 general elections, a significant innovation aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency of the electoral process.
These regional collation centres will serve as hubs for the collection and tallying of votes from various polling stations within each region.
The introduction of regional collation centres is part of the EC’s broader efforts to strengthen the electoral process and boost public confidence in the democratic system.
The EC aims to minimise the risk of disputes and ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
Formalised Press Conference at three-hour intervals.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced its plan to provide regular media briefings on election day.
In a statement released on December 4, the Commission said the press briefings will provide key updates at regular intervals on voting day.
According to the EC, only media personnel with accreditation to the National Collation Centre will be permitted to cover the press briefings.
The first press conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. on election day, with subsequent briefings at 12 noon, 3 p.m., and 9 p.m. and continuing until the election results are declared.
The EC stated that these press briefings will not take more than 30 minutes each.