Identical twin unable to vote as biometric system had already captured her sister

An intriguing incident unfolded during the district-level elections at the Methodist Church polling station in the Ga-North constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

An identical twin was denied the right to vote as the biometric system identified her as someone who had already voted, despite her twin sister having successfully gone through the identification process earlier.

The Presiding Officer at the polling station noted that this was an unprecedented occurrence, suggesting it could be the same person attempting to vote twice or a minor system glitch.

Residents, familiar with the twin sisters, expressed surprise at the system's failure to distinguish between them.

A concerned resident remarked on the potential challenges of such incidents, questioning whether a similar situation would arise if there were numerous sets of twins.

He emphasized the need for the Electoral Commission to address this minor challenge, pointing out that the twin who was denied voting refrained from complaint due to the nature of the district-level election.

The Electoral Commission's decision to eliminate the use of indelible ink in this election and subsequent polls came under scrutiny following the incident. Traditionally, indelible ink is applied to voters' fingerprints to prevent double voting and indicate those who have exercised their franchise.

The Commission's rationale, as explained by EC chair Jean Mensa, was centred on the robust identification system provided by biometric technology, making it difficult for a verified voter to cast a second vote.

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