Electoral Commission Denies Early Ballot Printing for Ghana’s 2024 Elections

ACCRA: The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has officially denied allegations that it has started printing ballot papers for the 2024 General Election, setting the record straight amid circulating rumors. According to Ghana News Agency, the denial came through a statement from Mr. Samuel Tettey, Deputy EC Chair in Charge of Operations. The statement addressed concerns that the EC had not yet provided the necessary ballot statistics, which are essential before the commencement of ballot printing. "We would like to assure the General Public that printing of ballot papers has not commenced," Tettey stated. The EC confirmed that while the printing of Notices of Poll for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 11, 2024, the actual ballot papers would only be printed after sharing detailed statistics with all relevant stakeholders, including candidates and political parties. This practice, as noted by the EC, is a standard procedure to ensure transparency and c redibility in the printing process. Furthermore, the EC reiterated its commitment to maintaining transparent, credible, free, and fair elections scheduled for December 2024. As part of the electoral preparations, the EC also announced that it would re-exhibit the Provisional Voters' Register online, allowing voters to verify their details before the final voter roll is completed for the December 7 polls, where Ghanaians will choose their president and parliamentary representatives for the 276 constituencies. The Electoral Commission has approved 13 presidential aspirants for the upcoming elections, highlighting the participation of major political figures such as Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia from the New Patriotic Party, and Former President John Dramani Mahama from the National Democratic Congress.