The Electoral Commission (EC) is gearing up for registration across all 268 of its offices, including Santrofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, Likpe (SALL) in the Guan Constituency within the Oti Region, marking a significant step towards electoral inclusivity. This follows several calls and protests by the people of SALL, led by the Office of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC), for the EC to restore their political and electoral rights of citizenship as guaranteed under the Constitution.
Preparations are underway for the voters’ registration exercise to take place nationwide from May 7 to May 27, 2024. Today, the EC will convene a crucial meeting in Accra with the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to address various issues, including the upcoming voters’ registration. Following the registration, a nationwide exercise to replace missing voter ID cards will commence on May 30, 2024.
In an effort to ensure accessibility, the EC plans to establish 775 registration centers in remote and riverine areas, to be managed by registration mobile teams. Additionally, registration centers will be set up in 25 public universities across the country, with comprehensive public education campaigns preceding the exercise to raise awareness among citizens.
According to the EC’s schedule, the provisional voters’ register will be presented to political parties between July 9 and July 18, 2024, followed by an exhibition of the register from July 15 to July 24, 2024. The final voters’ register is slated to be submitted to political parties between August 30 and September 5, 2024.
In another electoral event, a by-election is scheduled to be held in the Ejisu Constituency on April 30, 2024, to fill the vacancy left by the late Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, in accordance with the provisions of Article 112(5) of the 1992 Constitution. The by-election must occur within 60 days of the vacancy, as stated by the constitution.
Looking ahead, the EC’s calendar outlines the nomination period for presidential and parliamentary candidates for this year’s elections, scheduled from September 9 to 13. Subsequently, the presidential and parliamentary ballot positions will be determined on September 23 and September 24, 2024, respectively. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the EC aims to declare the results of the 2024 presidential polls within three days of the voting process, marking the conclusion of the electoral cycle.