Accra, Dec. 7, GNA - Voting in Ghana’s historic  presidential and parliamentary elections ended officially at 1700 hours throughout the country on Friday.     The exercise was generally peaceful but there were problems with the verification machines which either broke down or could not clear eligible voters to exercise their franchise.    Counting has started and the first results are expected later on Friday evening through to early Saturday.     For the first time in Ghana, the elections took place with the use of a biometric registration and verification process.     The Electoral Commission has issued a statement saying all eligible voters in the queue before the close of voting at 1700 hours would be allowed to vote.      A statement signed by Mr Kwadwo Sarfo-Kantanka, Deputy Chairman (Operations) posted on the EC website said: “The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the general public especially registered voters in polling stations where voting did not start early due to the late arrival of election materials, that the Commission has an inbuilt mechanism that will make it possible for all eligible voters who are in the queue before 5:00pm to vote.    “All eligible voters who are in queue before the close of polls at 5:00pm will be offered the opportunity to vote when the poll officially closes.    “The general public is entreated to be patient and allow the process to run smoothly”, the EC Deputy Chairman said.     Voters cast their ballots at 26,000 polling stations to elect a president from the eight candidates.     There were 1,332 candidates, including 134 women, vying for 275 seats in parliament.    Eight candidates, including the incumbent President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who was sworn in when president John Evans Atta Mills died suddenly on July 24 this year, are contesting for the presidency.     His main challenger is Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who was defeated by President Mills in 2008.      The other candidates are Dr Abu Sakara of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Hassan Ayariga of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Mr Akwasi Addai of the United Front Party (UFP), Dr Henry Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and the Independent candidate, Mr Joseph Osei-Yeboah.     The National Democratic Party (NDP), led by former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, a breakaway group from the NDC, contested only parliamentary seats after she was disqualified by the Electoral Commission (EC) for not properly completing and submitting her forms before the deadline.    Voting was generally peaceful except for widespread problems with the verification machines which prevented many prospective voters from exercising their franchise.    GNA

Kumasi, Dec 7, GNA - A 72-year-old woman suffering from Parkinson’s disease defied her medical condition to vote at the Patase Market polling centre in the Nhyiaeso Constituency.

Kumasi, Dec 7, GNA - A 72-year-old woman suffering from Parkinson’s disease defied her medical condition to vote at the Patase Market polling centre in the Nhyiaeso Constituency.

Kumasi, Dec 7, GNA – A Kumasi-based lawyer has appealed to candidates contesting the presidential and parliamentary polls to accept its outcome in good faith.

Kumasi, Dec 7, GNA – A Kumasi-based lawyer has appealed to candidates contesting the presidential and parliamentary polls to accept its outcome in good faith.

Wa, Dec.7.  GNA – Reports reaching here indicate that the verification machine being used at the Sombo polling centre in the Nadowli/Kaleo constituency has broken down and the people were being allowed to cast their ballots using their identity cards.

Wa, Dec.7.  GNA – Reports reaching here indicate that the verification machine being used at the Sombo polling centre in the Nadowli/Kaleo constituency has broken down and the people were being allowed to cast their ballots using their identity cards.

Naboko (U/E), Dec. 7, GNA – Three Parliamentary candidates in the Garu Constituency have expressed worry about the slow pace in the verification process and expressed fear that their supporters might not vote.

Naboko (U/E), Dec. 7, GNA – Three Parliamentary candidates in the Garu Constituency have expressed worry about the slow pace in the verification process and expressed fear that their supporters might not vote.

However, a few electoral anomalies have been recorded in the area noted electoral tension and conflicts.

However, a few electoral anomalies have been recorded in the area noted electoral tension and conflicts.

Nkawkaw (E/R), Dec. 7, GNA - The GNA has seen that the first three pages of a verification register sent to the Nsuta Abanase polling centre in the Nkawkaw Constituency is blank.

Nkawkaw (E/R), Dec. 7, GNA - The GNA has seen that the first three pages of a verification register sent to the Nsuta Abanase polling centre in the Nkawkaw Constituency is blank.

Bole (N/R), Dec. 7, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Friday asked election officials to rectify problems that are hindering the smooth voting in some polling centres in the country.

Bole (N/R), Dec. 7, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Friday asked election officials to rectify problems that are hindering the smooth voting in some polling centres in the country.

Agona Nkwanta (W/R), Dec. 7, GNA— A downpour  that lasted for almost 30 minutes, slowed down voting in the ongoing presidential and parliamentary elections in the Ahanta West Constituency of the Western Region.

Agona Nkwanta (W/R), Dec. 7, GNA— A downpour  that lasted for almost 30 minutes, slowed down voting in the ongoing presidential and parliamentary elections in the Ahanta West Constituency of the Western Region.

Techiman, Dec.  7, GNA - Seventeen eligible voters in 10 polling stations visited by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Techiman  South Constituency could not be verified to vote.

Techiman, Dec.  7, GNA - Seventeen eligible voters in 10 polling stations visited by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Techiman  South Constituency could not be verified to vote.

Sunyani, Dec. 7, GNA – The security situation in Sunyani is calm and orderly on Friday morning as there has not been any security-related incident as at 0900.