Special Voting is currently being conducted at selected polling stations across Ghana, marking a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the December 7 general elections. This exercise is tailored to enable individuals who will play essential roles on election day to cast their votes early, ensuring their availability for critical election duties.
The initiative primarily targets electoral officials, security personnel, and media representatives who are integral to the smooth execution of the general election process. According to the Electoral Commission (EC), approximately 131,478 individuals—representing 0.007% of the total registered electorate of 18,741,159—are expected to participate in this important exercise on December 2.
Special Voting is being conducted in 14 out of Ghana’s 16 regions. However, the Eastern and Western Regions are excluded from today’s exercise due to an EC directive to recall and reprint ballot papers following a reported breach of security seals. To maintain the integrity of the electoral process, the EC has rescheduled Special Voting in these two regions for Thursday, December 5.
Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, addressed stakeholders during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, providing assurances about the credibility and efficiency of the voting process. She reiterated the EC’s commitment to addressing concerns, ensuring transparency, and delivering a free and fair election.
The Special Voting exercise is being conducted from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at designated polling centres across the participating regions. Eligible voters are required to present valid identification to polling officials before casting their ballots. Unlike the regular voting process, ballots cast during Special Voting will not be counted on the same day. Instead, they will be securely stored and tallied on December 7 at the Constituency Collation Centres.
Once counted, the results will be documented separately on Presidential and Parliamentary Election Results Collation Forms before being integrated into the overall election results.
This Special Voting exercise underscores Ghana's commitment to ensuring a seamless and inclusive electoral process, as the nation prepares for its highly anticipated general elections.
