Over 130,000 voters are expected to cast their ballots in today’s special voting exercise across 14 regions in the country. This arrangement covers personnel from various security agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Immigration and Prisons Service, as well as media personnel, election officials, and other stakeholders involved in election-related duties on 7 December.
Voting begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. at the various centres. However, results will be merged with ballots cast in the 7 December general election for the final declaration.
The exercise was initially scheduled to take place in 328 voting centres across all 16 regions. However, the Electoral Commission (EC) rescheduled voting for the Eastern and Western Regions to Thursday, 5 December 2024.
This follows the EC’s decision to recall ballot papers for both regions due to the leakage of a defaced presidential ballot paper designated for the Eastern Region.
Addressing an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Sunday, 1 December, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa stated that all political parties and representatives of the 12 presidential candidates have agreed to reprint the ballot papers for the Eastern and Western Regions to ensure the integrity of the election.
The EC Chairperson further disclosed that the commission will engage three printing houses to expedite the printing process.
Meanwhile, over 18 million voters are expected to cast their votes in the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for Saturday, 7 December.
The Electoral Commission has assured its readiness for today’s exercise, promising a free, fair, and transparent process. Similarly, the Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the National Election Security Taskforce, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has vowed to adopt a “no-nonsense” approach towards troublemakers during the 2024 elections.
Source:
www.pulse.com.gh
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