EC admits to errors in voter registration figures

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has taken steps to correct some errors in the publication of voter registration figures from the ongoing limited voter registration exercise aimed at updating the national voter register.

The exercise, which began on May 7, 2024, is primarily focused on enrolling first-time voters as well as individuals seeking to obtain their voter cards.

It’s scheduled to run for a total of 21 days, concluding on May 27, 2024. The goal is to add approximately 623,000 new voters to the register, ensuring they can participate in future elections.

On the fourth day of the registration process, the EC issued a press release announcing that 143,014 eligible voters had successfully registered.

However, shortly after this announcement, a need to revise these figures became apparent.

The EC swiftly issued a follow-up statement explaining that there had been a clerical error: the figures for the third day had been inadvertently repeated as those for the fourth day for the Upper East region.

The statement clarified, “The Electoral Commission has noted some mistakes in the daily voter registration figures earlier published.The mistakes appeared in the total registered figures stated for days two and three although the individual regional figures were accurate, while the day three figure for Upper East was repeated for day four. All these have been corrected.”

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Despite these initial missteps, the EC reassured the public that the overall total remained accurate, with the number of registered voters still standing at 143,014.

The breakdown of registration numbers from various regions illustrates the reach and scope of this registration drive.

The Greater Accra region leads with 17,837 new voters registered.

The Ashanti region follows with a substantial count of 25,558 registrants.t

Other regions have also seen significant turnout: Eastern region reported 14,884 new registrations, while Central region posted 15,434.

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The numbers from other regions are as follows: North East, 3,948; Upper East, 6,691; Northern, 10,373; Bono, 4,900; Bono East, 5,118; Volta, 7,512; Upper West, 5,256; Ahafo, 3,889; Western North, 5,638; Oti, 4,206; Savannah, 2,989; and Western region, 8,781.

These figures are crucial as they not only reflect the EC’s capacity to mobilize and register new voters but also demonstrate the public’s willingness to engage in the democratic process.

The registration exercise is a fundamental aspect of ensuring that all eligible citizens are able to exercise their right to vote, which is the cornerstone of any democracy.

The EC’s prompt response in correcting these errors and transparently communicating the changes to the public helps maintain trust in the electoral process.

It is imperative for such bodies to operate with precision and integrity, particularly in contexts where the legitimacy of electoral processes is closely scrutinized.

As the registration exercise progresses, the EC continues to encourage eligible individuals who have not yet registered to do so before the deadline.

Achieving or surpassing the target of 623,000 new voters would not only be a testament to the effectiveness of this campaign but also to the vibrant democratic engagement prevailing in the country.

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