The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana is conducting a special voting exercise in the Eastern and Western regions today, Thursday, December 5, 2024, ahead of the December 7 general elections.
This follows the rescheduling of the exercise for these two regions, which was initially planned for Monday, December 2, 2024.
The EC announced the postponement during an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Sunday, December 1, after a defaced ballot paper marked for destruction was discovered outside the Checkpoint Printing House raising concerns about their integrity.
Although no issues were reported with the Western Region’s materials, the printing press responsible for the Eastern Region’s ballots also handled those for the Western Region. As a precaution, the EC recalled and reprinted the ballot papers for both regions.
The reprinted materials were delivered to the two regions on Wednesday, December 4, ensuring readiness for today’s voting exercise. The EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, assured stakeholders that all necessary steps had been taken to uphold the integrity and transparency of the process.
The special voting exercise, held earlier in 14 other regions on December 2, allows designated groups such as election officials, security personnel, and media practitioners who will be on duty on election day to cast their votes in advance.
Polls in the Eastern and Western regions will open at 7:00 AM and will close at 5:00 PM. Only voters listed in the Special Voters Register are eligible to participate. Biometric verification systems are being used to ensure accuracy and transparency.
The Electoral Commission has reiterated its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election process.
Votes cast during the special voting exercise will be securely sealed and transported to the EC’s offices in the respective regions, where they will remain under strict security until the general counting on December 7.
The EC has urged all participants to adhere to voting guidelines and maintain peace throughout the exercise. The successful conduct of today’s rescheduled special voting is expected to bolster confidence in the upcoming elections.