The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers has issued an observation report on Monday’s Special Voting Exercise which took place on Monday, December 2, 2024. The exercise took place in fourteen out of the sixteen regions, and was observed by two hundred and twenty-eight CODEO observers across two hundred and sixteen constituencies across the country.
The Coalition remarked that the Special Voting Exercise was generally smooth. According to the Coalition, eighty-one percent of polling stations opened by 7:15 AM and the remaining 19% percent opened between 7:16 AM and 8 AM. It also observed that NDC and NPP agents were present at nearly all the polling stations. It also states that 97% of the polling stations did not encounter any malfunctioning of Biometric Voter Devices (BVDs) throughout the day. Most of the polling stations were set up properly so voters could mark their ballots secretly. CODEO however reports that 4% of the polling stations had one Biometric Voter Device instead of the required two.
In Sefwi Akontombra in the Western region, CODEO reports that a ballot paper / serial number was detected missing from the ballot booklet at which led to a minor misunderstanding at the polling station. The matter was however resolved by the election officials and party agents. Observers reported incidents of voters photographing their thumb-printed ballot papers in the Cape Coast North, Ablekuma South, Walewale, Bolgatanga Central and Navrongo Central constituencies.
Vote-buying incidents were reported by observers, first in Keta, where some party representatives shared money to persons who voted for their candidates.
Some persons believed to be NPP representatives in the Weija-Gbawe constituency were also seen distributing 100 and 500 cedis to voters at the polling station’s gate, inducing them to vote for the NPP candidates. The Coalition also acknowledges that it has been monitoring news reports of vote-buying incidents by the NPP, the NDC, the New Force Movement and the Movement for Change in constituencies such as Ayawaso West Wuogon, Awutu Senya East and Tema Central.
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CODEO expressed concern that some security officers and presiding officers did nothing to stop the observed incidents of vote-buying and photographing of thumb-printed ballots. It further calls on the Ghana Police Service to take swift action against these cases. CODEO also appealed to the Electoral Commission and the National Election Security Task Force to issue directives to their officers on how to address election offences to prevent recurrence on December 7. Political parties are also advised to refrain from instigating such election offences which are detrimental to the integrity of the elections. Voters are also urged to reject any attempts of inducement in the general elections on Saturday.
The Coalition commended the EC and all stakeholder for a generally smooth exercise.
