Polling stations with over 700 registered voters to be split into two - EC

The Electoral Commission(EC) has said polling centers with over 700 registrants will be split into two - A and B - for the December 7 general election.

This, the EC explained, will reduce long queues at those polling stations.

A Deputy Commissioner of the EC, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, who spoke at the 2020 Star Ghana Foundation 2020 Call Learning Event in Accra on Tuesday, September 22, indicated that the decision was in line with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

According to him, each polling station would have a COVID-19 ambassador, whose duty would be to ensure that all the COVID-19 safety measures were in place and observed.

On ballot papers printing, the deputy EC chair said the political parties would be involved in the process, adding that party representatives would be invited to observe the printing process.

This move, he believes will ensure greater transparency for the elections, as well as prevent rigging.

“This is what the commission does and this year, we are not going to depart from tradition and best practices. When it comes to the printing of ballot papers, we go to the printing houses with representatives of the political parties.

“For instance, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will have their agents at each of the printing houses,” he said.

On the transfer of votes, Dr. Asare said only students and members of the security agencies would be allowed to transfer their votes.

He further stated that the EC would begin the process for the finalisation of the register when the transfer of votes is done by October 25, 2020.

“We are looking at the second week in November and so we are looking around November 10. The C.I. is very clear on how we make the register available to the parties.

“It says the commission should give the register to the political parties in the form that will be determined by the commission; that is in the C.I.,” he said.