How to resolve AdBlock issue? CODEO Reports Vote-Buying and Ballot Photography Incidents During Special Voting Exercise
Wednesday, 04 December 2024 | Ghana
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has reported multiple incidents of vote-buying and the photographing of ballots during the special voting exercise organized by the Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday, December 2, 2024. The special voting took place in 14 of the country’s 16 regions, with the remaining two regions, Eastern and Western, set to hold their special voting on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
In a press statement issued following the exercise, CODEO disclosed that it had deployed 228 observers across 216 constituencies. The observers reported that nearly all polling stations had agents present from both major political parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
One of the key findings of the report was that 97% of polling stations did not experience any issues with the Biometric Verification Device (BVD) system, which is responsible for verifying voter identities. This indicates that the technological aspects of the voting process were largely successful. However, CODEO highlighted several critical incidents that raised concerns over the integrity of the special voting exercise.
Among these issues, the photographing of thumb-printed ballots was a notable violation. In the Cape Coast North Constituency in the Central Region, a voter attempted to photograph their ballot but was intercepted by security personnel before the act was completed. A similar incident occurred in the Ablekuma South Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, where another voter successfully took a photograph of their ballot showing their vote for a presidential candidate. Similar incidents of ballot photography were also reported in Walewale Constituency in the Northeast Region, as well as Bolgatanga Central and Navrongo Central in the Upper East Region.
Another serious concern raised by CODEO was vote-buying, which was observed at various polling stations. In Keta, Volta Region, party representatives were seen allegedly distributing money to voters in exchange for votes for their candidate. In the Weija-Gbawe Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, individuals believed to be NPP party representatives were seen handing out 100 and 50 cedi notes to voters at the entrance to the polling station, seemingly to sway their votes in favor of the NPP candidate.
In Jaman North, Bono Region, a non-uniformed police officer reportedly intervened to prevent NPP party officials and representatives from distributing money, leading to verbal confrontations between the officer and the party representatives. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges with ensuring electoral integrity, particularly when it comes to preventing the undue influence of money on voters.
Despite these concerns, CODEO commended the EC and other stakeholders for the overall smooth execution of the special voting exercise. The coalition acknowledged the efforts made to ensure that the process ran efficiently and with minimal disruptions. However, CODEO stressed the importance of maintaining a fair, free, and transparent electoral process moving forward. As the general elections approach on December 7, the coalition urged the EC to ensure that voting proceeds smoothly and without further incidents of electoral malpractices.
In a press statement issued following the exercise, CODEO disclosed that it had deployed 228 observers across 216 constituencies. The observers reported that nearly all polling stations had agents present from both major political parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
One of the key findings of the report was that 97% of polling stations did not experience any issues with the Biometric Verification Device (BVD) system, which is responsible for verifying voter identities. This indicates that the technological aspects of the voting process were largely successful. However, CODEO highlighted several critical incidents that raised concerns over the integrity of the special voting exercise.
Among these issues, the photographing of thumb-printed ballots was a notable violation. In the Cape Coast North Constituency in the Central Region, a voter attempted to photograph their ballot but was intercepted by security personnel before the act was completed. A similar incident occurred in the Ablekuma South Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, where another voter successfully took a photograph of their ballot showing their vote for a presidential candidate. Similar incidents of ballot photography were also reported in Walewale Constituency in the Northeast Region, as well as Bolgatanga Central and Navrongo Central in the Upper East Region.
Another serious concern raised by CODEO was vote-buying, which was observed at various polling stations. In Keta, Volta Region, party representatives were seen allegedly distributing money to voters in exchange for votes for their candidate. In the Weija-Gbawe Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, individuals believed to be NPP party representatives were seen handing out 100 and 50 cedi notes to voters at the entrance to the polling station, seemingly to sway their votes in favor of the NPP candidate.
In Jaman North, Bono Region, a non-uniformed police officer reportedly intervened to prevent NPP party officials and representatives from distributing money, leading to verbal confrontations between the officer and the party representatives. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges with ensuring electoral integrity, particularly when it comes to preventing the undue influence of money on voters.
Despite these concerns, CODEO commended the EC and other stakeholders for the overall smooth execution of the special voting exercise. The coalition acknowledged the efforts made to ensure that the process ran efficiently and with minimal disruptions. However, CODEO stressed the importance of maintaining a fair, free, and transparent electoral process moving forward. As the general elections approach on December 7, the coalition urged the EC to ensure that voting proceeds smoothly and without further incidents of electoral malpractices.