Ghana will hold a deciding presidential run-off vote on Sunday between Nana Akufo-Addo, of the previously ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and John Atta Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The winner will succeed President John Kufuor, who is due to stand down on Jan. 7 after serving the maximum two elected four-year terms allowed by the West African state's constitution.
Here are brief details about the two contenders.
Fiery former coup-leader Rawlings stood down after elections in 2000 after two elected terms under the democratic constitution he himself had introduced, but Mills, his chosen successor, lost the election.
Mills is Akan, hailing from Ekumfi Otuam in the Central region. He studied law both at London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and as a Fulbright scholar at Stanford Law School in the United States.
Mills was national tax commissioner under Rawlings before being promoted to the vice-presidency.
He is a keen swimmer and hockey player and once played for the national team. He is married and has a 19-year-old son.
Mills's running mate is northern-born John Mahama, a member of parliament who was minister of communications under Rawlings.
(Reporting by Kwasi Kpodo, Editing by Pascal Fletcher)