EC Announces Rules For Election 2016

The Electoral Commission (EC) has affirmed that polls will open at all polling stations on 0700 hours and close at 1700 hours on December 7.

“Before voting begins in the morning of the poll, the Presiding Officer (PO) should bring together his/her polling assistants, security officer and any available polling agents and open each of the ballot boxes in their presence.

“Take out the election materials enclosed and ascertain that all items are available,” the EC has stated in Election 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary manual tagged: “A Guide to Voters,” made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The EC said the Presiding Officer was mandated to ensure particularly that the voters register and other lists as well as the Bio-metric Verification Device (BVD) were received.

The PO is also mandated to show the empty ballot boxes to all present before using them for polling.

“Show the sealed packets of ballot papers to the polling assistants, polling agents, voters and the security officer and open them in their presence,” the EC stated.

According to the EC the PO is mandated to complete sections A (1-2) and B (1-5) of the statement of Poll Forms EL. 21A and EL 21B for the parliamentary and presidential elections respectively.

The PO is also to string the rope provided across the polling station such that there would be orderly flow of voters through the polling stations and place the two ballot boxes Presidential and Parliamentary on two tables in plain view of the public for the receipt of ballot papers.

The PO is also to place all necessary materials including the BVD, voters’ register, other lists, the electoral stain, (indelible ink) the ballot papers at the appropriate tables to serve the voters.

The PO is mandated to place a thumbprint pad in each voting screen to enable voters’ thumbprint their ballot paper and: “Ensure that the placement of the screens allows for the secrecy of the vote,” the EC stated.

The GNA tracks Election 2016 project also seeks to sensitise the electorate on the various issues raised by political parties, the elections management body and other governance institutions.

It aims at ensuring gender and social inclusion in national politics and to provide voice for the youth, vulnerable groups, opinion leaders and the broader spectrum of the society, and to contribute to the achievement of peaceful polls.

Another objective of the project is to create a platform to dissect the manifestoes of all political parties and provide in-depth analysis of each thematic area to the electorate to enable them to make an informed judgment.

Source: Viasat 1.com.gh