The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has revealed its intention to utilize a dedicated online portal to display real-time results from various polling stations during the upcoming 2024 General Election.
Mrs. Jane Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, made this announcement during a stakeholder meeting organized by the National Peace Council.
The EC plans to publish scanned signed pink sheets on the portal, enhancing transparency and citizen involvement in the electoral process.
Mrs. Mensa emphasized that this initiative aligns with recommendations from the EU Observer Mission. She highlighted the EC's commitment to transparency, stating, “We are confident that this arrangement will promote transparency and engender further trust and confidence in our electoral processes.”
The Electoral Commission also proposed closing polls at 15:00 hours to facilitate counting in broad daylight, aiming to enhance transparency in the election process.
The decision to close polls at 3pm is based on the experience from the 2020 Election, where approximately 70% of polling centers were empty of voters by 13:00 hours.
Additionally, the EC suggested an all-year-round exhibition exercise, enabling citizens to check their registration details on smartphones and other mobile devices.
Mrs. Mensa expressed hope that Parliament would support the proposed Constitutional Instrument advocating for continuous voter registration and making the Ghana Card the sole identification document.
Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Peace Council, affirmed the council's commitment to continuous dialogue with stakeholders to ensure a peaceful 2024 election. He urged the National Democratic Congress to return to the Inter-
Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) for consensus building, emphasizing that a commitment to peace would contribute to a successful election.
Ms. Kathleen Addy, Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), highlighted the unique challenges of the 2024 Election in the context of political instability in the West Africa Sub-region.
She stressed the importance of collaboration to ensure a peaceful electoral process and urged stakeholders to work together for a peaceful election and post-election period.
The proposals by the Electoral Commission aim to leverage technology and procedural adjustments to foster transparency, citizen engagement, and a smoother electoral process in the upcoming 2024 General Election.
