Accra, Aug. 21, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday urged the general public to participate actively in the forthcoming District Assembly and Unit Committee Elections by coming out to vote on September 12, 2006.
Voting starts at 0700 hours and ends at 1700 hours at all the 21,000 polling stations spread over the country. However, voters who had not voted after the 1700 hours would be allowed to vote provided they were already in the queue before 1700 hours.
Out of the 1,219 nominations for the Unit Committees in the Greater Accra Region, only 90 would be contested for.
Out 218 District Assemblies members 18 were returned unopposed.
Mr Christian Owusu Parry, a Deputy Greater Accra Electoral Officer, said the EC would ensure that voting materials got to the polling stations before 0700 hours.
He said the Presiding Officer would open the sealed ballot boxes at 06.30 hours adding that all polling agents should report early to witness it since no agent could challenge the Presiding Officer if he reported late.
He said voters in areas where District Assembly and Unit Committee elections were both taking place would have to cast their votes twice adding, "One candidate should be chosen for the District Assembly and 10 candidates for the unit committees. Any number above that would be rejected."
Mr Parry said the unit committees take a longer time to count due to the complexities adding that if for instance 20 candidates were contesting, the results would be tallied for all before counting. He said voters, who had misplaced their identity cards, would be attended to by the Electoral Officer and that this should not be a hindrance to casting their votes. He called on voters to comport themselves on the Election Day and to exercise restraint for the results to be declared.
