Ghana’s upcoming elections have raised concerns about rejected votes during counting, which can amount to a significant percentage of total votes cast. This issue has caught the attention of both political parties and the electoral commission.
To address this concern, Former Afigya Kwabre South constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah aka Coka has taken the mantle of educating party members on proper voting techniques.
During his final campaign tour in the Afigya Kwabre South constituency, Ashanti Region, Coka emphasized the importance of avoiding common voting mistakes that can lead to rejected votes, ultimately affecting the party’s chances.
“We cannot repeat the sins of yesterday. The increasing number of rejected ballots in our region alone over the last election years is way too much, and this year, this must be avoided.” He said.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has implemented various measures to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process. For instance, the commission provides an opportunity for voters to check online whether their name is in the voters’ register.
Additionally, political parties and other stakeholders are allowed to observe the voters’ register exhibition exercise to ensure accuracy and transparency. But Coka says, to minimize rejected votes, voters must follow proper voting procedures. This includes correctly filling out the ballot paper, ensuring that the ballot paper is properly stamped, and avoiding any alterations or marks that could lead to rejection.
The former party Chairman said, “I want to use this platform to encourage our party people to continue door-to-door sensitization on this topic, which hurts our votes in this region.”
Mr. Odeneho Appiah urged the electorate to avoid becoming overconfident about a potential victory, and instead, to replicate the voting patterns seen during former President Kuffour’s era. By doing so, they can ensure a resounding and convincing win for the NPP.
“Voter apathy is exactly what we are preaching against. We need all hands on deck. We cannot miss this opportunity. If you stay home, we regret the outcome of the election. Our loyalty to the party counts now more than ever, he pleaded.
As per the Electoral Commission (EC), in the 2020 General Election, 34,858 ballots were rejected in the Presidential race in the Ashanti Region. This number represents about 1.39% of the total 2,502,149 votes cast across all 47 constituencies.
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com
