The District Level Elections (DLEs) are currently underway at multiple polling stations, both nationwide and in the central region.
These elections cover a vast electoral landscape, of about 6,215 electoral areas distributed across 216 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
A significant number of hopeful candidates, totalling over 66,000 individuals, are vying for assembly and unit committee positions in the local elections.
The data from the Electoral Commission reveals that there are 18,755 assembly member candidates and 47,502-unit committee member candidates, summing up to 66,257 candidates.
In the central region, 4,440 contestants are vying for unit committee elections comprising 3,785 males and 658 females in 572 electoral areas.
ATLFM’s Comfort Sweety Hayford visited 3 polling stations at Valco Hall at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), UCC Auditorium 1 and UCC Auditorium 2 and reported a low turnout of voters.
A probe into the situation revealed that the low turnout was a result of some unit committee members backing out of the district level elections at the last minute.
As the ballot papers were awaited, individuals who arrived at the polling stations to cast their votes were either requested to wait for a short period or advised to return later to participate in the voting process.
Meanwhile, the polling station agents were of the firm belief that once the ballot papers were handed to them, voting would begin smoothly and end at 5 pm.
At Apewosika Basic School, voting started at 7:30 and at 8:45 am, 55 had voted. 6 people are contesting for the district level elections in the area.
At the Apostolic Church Centre, as of 8:30 am, 20 men and 15 women had cast their votes.
According to those ATL FM spoke with, they aimed to cast their votes early for them to go to work and later return to witness the announcement of the results.
Nonetheless, some places like Aboaze Obohen, Abateh in Abaasa and Abonko electoral areas did not start on time due to delays in sending the voting materials.
Also, some electoral areas in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions have been suspended due to technical challenges.
Speaking to ATL FM NEWS, the deputy director of the National Commission for Civic Education in Central Region, Miss Mercy Essien encouraged all eligible voters to cast their vote at the various electoral areas in their districts.
To her, the district level elections should not be neglected because the nation’s development begins at the district level.
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Source: ATLFMNEWS
