The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) says if possible the Electoral Commission (EC) should make provisions for prospective special voters who were unable to vote to exercise their franchise.
In a statement released Thursday and signed by the National Coordinator, Albert Arhin, it said the Coalition “is encouraged by ECs promptness in issuing a statement assuring the general public and particularly members of the security agencies to resolve the identified challenges in the special voting exercise as soon as possible.”
This is contained in the Coalition’s preliminary findings on the EC’s conduct of the Special Voting exercise across the country December 1.
CODEO’s observed largely that some prospective voters particularly security personnel were unable to find their names in the special voters register at their designated polling stations to enable them to be verified to vote.
Also, they found discrepancies in the special voter list register used by the EC’s polling station officials and the list of special voters register given to the political party agents.
Further, the Coalition found that there appears to be unclear information from the EC with regards to the voter transfer for special voters.
Read the statement below:
CODEO’s Observation Statement on the Electoral Commission’s Special Voting Exercise
Introduction
STATEMENT ON THE VOTER REGISTER
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) is pleased to release preliminary findings on the Electoral Commission’s (ECs) conduct of the special voting exercise across the constituencies on December 1, 2016.
The findings presented in this statement are based on field reports submitted by CODEO’s Observers deployed in all 275 constituencies in the country. CODEO’s observers used a checklist, to observe the preparations, voting processes, and electoral incidents among others.
Main Findings
1. Prospective voters not finding their names on the special voting list
CODEO observers’ report that, at many of the polling centers, some prospective voters particularly security personnel were unable to find their names in the special voters register at their designated polling stations to enable them to be verified to vote.
For example, at the Nima Police Station Polling Center in the Ayawaso East Constituency, 89 prospective voters were turned away because their names were not on the special voter’s list. CODEO observes report that EC polling station officials advised the affected voters to visit their original polling station to vote on December 7.
2. Differences in the Electoral Commission’s Special Polling Station Voter list and Political Party Agents list of special voters
In some of the polling stations, CODEO Observers reported, observing discrepancies in the special voter list register used by the EC’s polling station officials and the list of special voters register given to the political party agents. These discrepancies created tension in some of the polling stations.
3. Unclear information from the EC with regards to voter transfer of special voters
CODEO’s observers report that, there appears to be unclear information from the EC with regards to the voter transfer for special voters. For example, at the Keta Municipal Assembly polling station, police officers were unable to vote because they had not transferred their votes from their original polling station.
Recommendations:
CODEO is encouraged by ECs promptness in issuing a statement assuring the general public and particularly members of the security agencies to resolve the identified challenges in the special voting exercise as soon as possible.
CODEO recommends that, if possible, the EC should consider setting aside another day to allow the prospective special voters who were unable to vote during the early voting period to exercise their franchise.
Conclusion
CODEO wishes to assure the general public that it will observe the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary polls. CODEO’s Election Day observation is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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