Special Voting: National Election Security Taskforce urges all officers to go out and vote

The National Election Security Task Force has encouraged all personnel of the security agencies to go out in their numbers to cast their votes in the special voting exercise.

The task force reminded all officers of the security agencies that the special voting slated for today, 2nd December 2024, is taking place as scheduled across the country, with the exception of Eastern and Western Regions, which will come off on Thursday, 5th December 2024.

Those who are supposed to vote in the two affected regions will be given the opportunity to cast their votes on Thursday, 5th December 2024, as announced by the Electoral Commission.

“Personnel of the security agencies are once again encouraged to come out in their numbers today, 2nd December 2024, to cast their votes,” a statement said.

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— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) December 2, 2024

About 131,478 voters, constituting 0.007 per cent of the total registered electorate of 18,741,159, are expected to take part in this Special Voting which takes place in 14 regions instead of 16.

The Eastern and Western Regions have been excluded from today’s exercise.

Explaining the reason for the exclusion of the Eastern and Western Regions, Chairperson of the Commission, Jean Mensa at a press briefing on Sunday, December 1, 2024 announced that the decision was taken after a single defaced ballot paper meant for the Presidential election for the Eastern Region was leaked out of the printing house.

According to the EC, the defaced ballot papers although had been earmarked for destruction by the company, “it found it way out of the printing house. The commission was informed by the National Security that one single defaced ballot paper meant for the Presidential election for the Eastern Region had been taken out of the printing house.”

“The printing was undertaken by Rocheck Limited and supervised and observed by the National Investigation Bureau, the National Security as well as the agents of the political parties and EC staff,” she added.

The Commission recalled ballot papers for the Eastern Region and reprinted them.

For the Western Region, the ballot papers have also been recalled for a reprint because it was the same printing house, Rocheck Limited that printed ballot papers for the Eastern Region.

The Commission together with the parties agreed for ballot papers of both regions to be reprinted.

The Commission said three printing houses had been engaged to reprint the ballot papers for the two regions and information will be provided to the various political parties.

“The commission is of the view that as part of its efforts to remain transparent it was important to inform the political parties about the leakage of this single ballot paper for the presidential in the Eastern Region,” Jean Mensa said.

The special voting arrangement is intended to accommodate voters who will be performing election-related duties on the main polling day.

It includes personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), National Security, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and Information Services Department.

Additionally, it includes members of the National Ambulance Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Prisons Service, Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Police Service, and the National Media Commission.

This early voting ensures that these individuals can exercise their right to vote without conflicting with their professional responsibilities during the elections.

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