Ahead of Ghana’s highly anticipated general election on December 7, the Electoral Commission (EC) has finalized and certified a voters’ register, revealing that 18,774,159 citizens are eligible to cast their ballots.
This registered total includes Ghanaians across various voting categories, with each group carefully accounted for to ensure a smooth and inclusive electoral process.
In a press release, the EC detailed that 18,640,811 registered voters have biometric data and will be verified through this system on election day. Additionally, 131,478 special voters will exercise their franchise early due to their roles on election day, which includes security personnel, media representatives, and EC officials.
These special voters, authorized by law to cast their ballots in advance, are essential in ensuring smooth conduct at polling stations nationwide.
The commission also addressed a smaller category of 1,870 registered voters whose biometric information was compromised and will therefore undergo manual verification on election day. This provision, the EC assured, ensures that no voter is left out due to technical issues.
The certified register includes additional details: 33,352 individuals are listed under exceptions, meaning they may have specific conditions affecting their voting eligibility, while 26,569 voters were found with multiple registrations and will be subject to further verification.
The commission has also listed 2,141 voters as eligible for proxy voting, and 310,579 transferred voters who will vote at designated new polling stations.
There are 441,173 absent voters recorded, including those who will vote early and those reassigned to different polling stations. The EC clarified that some polling stations, initially closed due to low voter numbers or community requests, have led to a slight adjustment in the absent voters list.
This adjustment affected 884 voters whose records are securely maintained in the Voter Management System, guaranteeing accountability and transparency.