NDC Deputy Director of Elections and IT exposes EC on Metro TV

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is requesting clarification from the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding the minimum number of voters required to form a polling station. Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, the Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, raised concerns about the lack of a specified threshold in the law during an interview on Metro TV’s News Beat.

According to Dr. Tanko-Computer, the current legal framework, particularly CI 127, does not outline a minimum voter number to establish a polling station. “Show us which part of the law indicates the minimum threshold of a polling station, number of voters they will form a polling station,” he told News Beat host Annie Afua Ampofo. "There is nothing like that," he added emphatically.

Dr. Tanko-Computer further criticized the EC's approach, suggesting that the Commission was using its own administrative discretion to set a threshold without public knowledge. “They are using their own administrative to decide something that you and I don’t know,” he said, questioning the transparency of the process.

The concerns from the NDC come amid ongoing preparations by the EC for the December 7 general elections. In a letter to political parties, EC Deputy Chairman for Operations Samuel Tettey confirmed that the distribution of ballot papers to regions would begin on November 14, 2024, as the Commission continues to move forward with election-related logistics.

The NDC’s request for clarification on polling station thresholds is expected to add to the ongoing discussions around the electoral process as the country prepares for the upcoming elections.