Limited voter registration exercise underway

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has taken proactive steps to ensure the success of the upcoming Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise, scheduled to begin today.
In preparation for the 21-day registration period, the EC has deployed essential resources to its regional and district offices across the country.
Chairperson Jean Mensa announced that Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits, along with other necessary logistics such as Turbonet devices, Registration Forms 1A and 1C, and laminators, have been dispatched to facilitate the smooth conduct of the registration process. A total of 3,277 personnel have been engaged to oversee the exercise, which will run from May 7 to May 27, 2024.
The registration exercise will take place in all 268 district offices of the Electoral Commission (EC), including remote areas such as Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) in the Guan Constituency of the Oti Region.
To ensure accessibility for all eligible voters, the EC will open 775 registration centers in distant and riverine areas, with mobile registration teams deployed to handle communities located far from district offices.
Mrs. Mensa clarified that only the Ghana Card and Ghana Passport are acceptable identity documents for voter registration. She further detailed the personnel breakdown for the exercise, with 496 supervisors, 831 registration officers, 831 data entry clerks, technicians, and laminators involved in the process. Additionally, 228 registration supervisors, 228 registration officers, 228 data entry clerks, and 228 laminators have been assigned to mobile registration teams.
Acknowledging the potential challenges posed by power outages, commonly known as “dumsor,” Mrs. Mensa assured the public that measures have been put in place to prevent disruptions to the registration process.
Generators have been secured for all district offices to ensure continuous voter registration services. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the EC will switch to an “offline” mode, where voters will be registered manually, and their details will be stored on a pen drive until normal operations can resume.
The upcoming limited voter registration exercise aims to register approximately 623,000 first-time voters across the country.
With meticulous planning and proactive measures in place, the Electoral Commission (EC) remains committed to conducting a transparent and efficient registration process ahead of the December 7 polls.