The Electoral Commission of Ghana’s (EC) decision to hold a rerun of the parliamentary election at the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station within the Dome Kwabenya constituency has sparked controversy and drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Professor Ransford Gyampo, a senior political science lecturer at the University of Ghana. Professor Gyampo characterizes the EC’s action as a dangerous precedent that undermines the democratic process and disrespects the expressed will of the voters. He argues that punishing voters by forcing them to queue and vote again due to an administrative error on the part of the EC is unjust and subverts the very essence of electoral representation. The core issue revolves around the EC’s responsibility to accurately record and manage the electoral process, not to penalize voters for mistakes made by election officials.
The controversy stems from discrepancies discovered during the collation of results for the Dome Kwabenya parliamentary election. While results from 367 polling stations were successfully processed, issues arose with the remaining three, leading to the rejection of one set of results, specifically those from the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station, which had 669 registered voters. This rejection was based on the discovery that the results were recorded on a training sheet, an unofficial document not intended for recording actual election results, instead of the designated and approved statement of poll. This procedural error, while seemingly administrative in nature, carries significant weight due to the close margin in the overall election results.
The EC, through Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Training, justified the rerun by emphasizing the potential impact of the incorrectly recorded votes on the final outcome. With a narrow margin of 165 votes separating the two leading candidates, the 669 votes from the affected polling station held the potential to swing the election in favor of the trailing candidate. The EC’s position is that including results recorded on an incorrect form would compromise the integrity of the election and potentially lead to an inaccurate declaration of the winner. However, this justification has been met with resistance, with critics arguing that the EC’s solution further disenfranchises voters and creates an unnecessary burden on their democratic participation.
Professor Gyampo’s critique goes beyond the immediate logistical challenges posed by the rerun. He raises fundamental questions about the EC’s understanding of its role in facilitating free and fair elections. He argues that the EC’s decision to hold the voters accountable for an error committed by election officials demonstrates a misplaced focus. The responsibility for ensuring accurate recording of votes rests squarely with the EC, and the voters should not be burdened with re-voting due to administrative inadequacies. This action, according to Professor Gyampo, sets a dangerous precedent that could be exploited in future elections, potentially eroding public trust in the electoral process and discouraging voter participation.
The situation at Dome Kwabenya highlights the crucial role of meticulous and transparent procedures in election administration. While the EC’s concern about accuracy is valid, the chosen solution has raised serious questions about its commitment to facilitating voter participation and respecting the expressed will of the people. The decision to hold a rerun, instead of exploring alternative solutions that would mitigate the impact of the administrative error without disenfranchising voters, has been perceived by critics as a heavy-handed approach that undermines the democratic process. The debate highlights the importance of striking a balance between ensuring accuracy and safeguarding the right to vote without undue burden.
Ultimately, this incident underscores the need for comprehensive training and oversight within the EC to prevent such errors from occurring in the first place. While human error is inevitable, robust systems and procedures can minimize its impact and maintain the integrity of the electoral process. The controversy surrounding the Dome Kwabenya rerun emphasizes the necessity for a thorough review of the EC’s training programs and operational procedures to prevent future occurrences of this nature and to reinforce public trust in the electoral system. It also highlights the essential role of ongoing dialogue between the EC, political stakeholders, and civil society to ensure that electoral practices are continuously refined and strengthened in a manner that upholds the principles of free, fair, and accessible elections.
