By Issac Asare
The Electoral Commission is to begin mopping up voter registration from August 1 to August 3, 2024.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, the Deputy Chairperson in- Charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, said the mop-up exercise is to offer persons who turned 18 years old after the recent limited voter registration and those who could not register previously the opportunity to have their names captured in the poll book.
The Commission will also embark on a voter exhibition exercise in August 2024.
Mr. Tettey emphasised the inclusivity of the exercise, noting that registration will be conducted online across 268 District Offices, 26 Public Universities, and 41 Prison Centers nationwide from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day.
He reiterated the requirements for registration, including presenting a Ghana Card or passport, or having two guarantors who are already registered voters. He also highlighted the Commission’s next major activity: the exhibition of the Voters Register from August 20 to August 27.
“All registered voters are encouraged to visit their polling stations or use the short code to electronically check their names in the register,” Mr. Tettey added.
FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
LET THE CITIZEN KNOW PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE 2024 MOP-UP VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE PRESENTED BY MR. SAMUEL TETTEY, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, OPERATIONS
Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the press. The Electoral Commission is again excited that you are here this evening to help inform the good people of our dear country about another major electoral activity ahead of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. We wish to begin by thanking the Almighty God for His faithfulness and protection which have made it possible for us to be able to execute our responsibilities as the only institution in the country in charge of conducting and supervising all public elections and referendums. We also like to express our appreciation to our staff both temporary and permanent in the 16 Regions and the 268 Districts for their dedication and enthusiasm for the work of the Commission. We are certain our staff will continue to support the efforts of the Commission to achieve another credible, inclusive, and transparent election in December, 2024. The Media, for the important role you play in our body politic, we want to say thank you for always complementing the efforts of the Commission in ensuring free, fair, transparent and credible elections. We trust that your work ahead of the 2024 general elections will go a long way to further cement the status of our country as a leader in Electoral Democracy.
Today’s press conference is mainly about the Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise ahead of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. At the end of the 23-Day Limited Voter Registration Exercise from 7th to 29th May, 2024, the Commission registered a total of 778,447 voters. Females constitute 52.45% of the total registered which is 408,332, and males constitute 47.55% which is 370,115. Currently there are 18, 681,366 provisional registered voters. As part of measures to ensure an all-inclusive Voters Register ahead of the 2024 General Elections, the Electoral Commission is organizing a Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise to give opportunity to eligible persons who could not register and those who have turned 18 years since the Limited Voter Registration Exercise to register as voters to enable them vote in December 2024. 1
All those who are registered voters are ineligible for this exercise. If your voter’s card is missing there is a procedure for the replacement of the card. This Mop-Up Registration Exercise will be conducted online so if you are already a registered voter our system will flag you out. The Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise will take place from Thursday, 1st August to Saturday, 3rd August; 2024.The Exercise will take place at all the 268 District Offices of the Commission, 26 Public Universities and 41 Prison Centres across the country. Registration starts at 7.00am and ends at 6.00pm each day.
The requirements for voter registration as stated in Regulation 2 of CI 91 As Amended by CI 126 apply to the Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise. An eligible applicant must present a Ghana Card or the Ghana Passport as proof of eligibility at the Registration Centre. In the absence of any of the above stated documents, an applicant will require two persons who are already registered voters as guarantors. Registered Voters can only guarantee for 10 persons. This means anyone who guaranteed for 10 persons in the last registration exercise does not qualify to guarantee for the other applicants in the Mop-Up exercise. Guarantors must ensure that those they wish to guarantee for are Ghanaians who are at least 18 years old and meet the other requirements for registration including being residents or ordinary residents of the electoral area where they wish to register as voters.
Political Parties are allowed to send their agents to the registration centres to observe the exercise. The Commission expects the parties to educate they agents well to enable them conduct themselves professionally at all the registration centres. The Commission has informed the Ghana Police Service about the Mop-Up exercise. Consequently, there would be security presence at the various Registration Centres to ensure a peaceful environment. All applicants who want to register as voters and persons who are working as registration officials are expected to conduct themselves well at the registration centres. The Commission is urging all stakeholders, especially the Political Parties to ensure a successful Mop-Up Registration Exercise. In the same manner, we wish to urge parents and guardians not to allow their children who are not yet 18 years old to take part in the Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise. The Commission wishes to emphasize that the Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise is for eligible persons who have not yet registered as voters.
In conclusion, we wish to inform the general public that after the Mop-Up Voter Registration Exercise, our next major activity is the Exhibition of the Voters Register from the 20th to the 27th of August at all the polling stations. All registered voters are encouraged to go to their polling stations to check that their names are in the voters register or use the short code to electronically check their names in the voters register. Ladies and gentlemen of the Media, thank you for your kind attention.
