Voting for the 2024 Special Voting exercise concluded across 14 regions of Ghana, excluding the Eastern and Western regions. The exercise, intended for security personnel, electoral officials, journalists, and others with special assignments on the general election day, was conducted smoothly in all designated polling centers.
The Eastern and Western regions have been excluded from the Monday exercise due to a recall of printed ballot papers. This issue arose after a defaced ballot paper, marked for destruction, was mistakenly included in distribution. In consultation with the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), the Electoral Commission (EC) sanctioned the recall and reprinting of the ballots, which commenced Sunday night. Special Voting for these two regions is rescheduled for Thursday, December 5, 2024.
Volta Region Update
In the Volta Region, voting began promptly at three centers located on the premises of the Electoral Commission. Voters, including security personnel and other eligible groups, arrived as early as 3:00 a.m. to cast their votes.
At Centre A, the Presiding Officer reported that as of 8:00 a.m., 34 out of the registered 520 voters had cast their ballots without any hitches. Similarly, at Centre B, 59 out of 525 registered voters had exercised their franchise by 7:50 a.m. Centre C also recorded a steady turnout, with 65 voters participating as of 8:12 a.m.
Party agents were present at all centers, and the atmosphere remained calm, with security personnel unarmed. According to the Municipal Electoral Officer, the process is expected to progress smoothly, with queues easing by midday.
Northern Region Update
In the Northern Region, voting commenced smoothly at four centers: Jubilee Park, Kalipohini Senior High School, the EC office, and Kamina Barracks. By 9:30 a.m., over 180 voters had cast their ballots at each center. A total of 7,342 voters are expected to participate in the exercise across the region.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC expressed satisfaction with the process, noting that all centers were fully equipped with necessary logistics to ensure seamless operations. “Everything is going on smoothly, and we have not recorded any incidents so far,” he stated.
Overall, the Special Voting exercise concluded efficiently, with no significant issues reported in the regions where the polls were conducted. The Electoral Commission has assured the public of its commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent process throughout.
