Source: newsthemegh.com
In order to enable transparent vote tallying prior to dusk, the Electoral Commission (EC) has proposed that polls be closed at 3 p.m. on election day in 2024, rather than 5 p.m.
EC Chair Jean Mensa stated that the suggestion is founded on prior experience when addressing attendees at an inter-party discussion and stock-taking meeting held in Accra on Thursday, December 14, 2023, by the National Peace Council.
“In 2020, voter thresholds of 500 or less were present in 70% of our polling places.
“This time we intend to ensure that all our polling station centers have a threshold of 500 voters and below,” she added.
She continued, saying, “We will expand the number of our polling places across the country.”
“We believe that this will go a long way to reduce the long queues that characterise our elections and allow for a smooth, seamless, hustle-free voting process,” she said.
“In 2020, it took voters not more than five minutes to cast their votes due to the introduction of this policy.” she added:
“Based on our 2020 experience and also feedback from several observer groups we propose to close the polls at 3:00 pm.”
“Our experience in 2020 reveals that by 1:00 pm, 70 per cent of our polling stations were empty of voters as most voters had cast their votes. This made it possible because the threshold of most polling centres was reduced to 500 voters per voting centre.
“This was coupled with the robust verification devices that were deployed to the polling stations. We are convinced that by closing the polls at 3:00 pm, we will be able to count and collate in broad daylight and this will promote the needed transparency and orderliness that we so desire,” she reiterated.