The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana will conduct the Special Voting exercise on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 328 designated centers across the country. This exercise, held ahead of the general elections scheduled for Saturday, December 7, 2024, is designed to allow voters involved in election-related duties—such as election officials, security personnel, and media practitioners—to cast their ballots early.

According to the EC, a total of 131,478 voters, representing 0.007% of the total registered voter population of 18,741,159, are expected to participate in the Special Voting. The exercise will commence at 7:00 am and end at 5:00 pm nationwide. The Commission has assured the public that all necessary election materials have been deployed to the centers, and it is fully prepared for a transparent, credible, and peaceful election.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, EC Chairperson Mrs. Jean Mensa reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness for the process. She clarified that security personnel and journalists who did not apply for the Special Voting would not be eligible to vote on December 2. However, they can participate in the main election on December 7.

Mrs. Mensa also noted that votes cast during the Special Voting would not be counted immediately. Instead, they will be securely stored and counted on December 7 at the Constituency Collation Centers alongside the ballots from the main election. These results will be recorded separately on the Presidential and Parliamentary Election Results Form, also known as the Pink Sheet, before being included in the final tally from all polling stations.

To ensure the integrity of the process, all ballot boxes used in the Special Voting will be sealed and stored securely in police stations within the respective constituencies. Presiding Officers have been directed not to count the ballots on the day of the exercise.

Meanwhile, the National Elections Security Taskforce, chaired by the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has reassured the public of its readiness to provide maximum security for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the elections.

Ghana’s general elections, which will see voters elect a President and 276 Members of Parliament, will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024.