Ghana Election: Ghanaians Go To The Polls Today As Leading Candidates Chase Historic Win
- Ghanaians are heading to the polls for the ninth successive time to choose the sixth president of the Fourth Republic
- John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party are the leading presidential candidates
- A candidate must receive more than 50% of the valid votes cast to win the presidential election
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Ghanaians are heading to the polls for the ninth successive time to choose the sixth president of the fourth republic.
The front runners in the race, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party are chasing their version of history in the polls.
Source: Getty Images
Mahama is seeking to become the first former president to win an election after he was booted out of office in 2016, while Bawumia hopes not only to become Ghana’s first Muslim president but also lead his party to an unprecedented third election victory.
If he wins, Mahama has promised a reset after the economic crisis and the high cost of living Ghanaians endured under the Akufo-Addo administration. He consistently jabbed Bawumia over his silence on the economy.
Bawumia promises forward-thinking leadership and will continue what he describes as the party’s transformative policies, including scrapping controversial taxes. The NPP has focused its campaign on the digitalisation agenda and reverted to the tried-and-tested tactic of amplifying the free Senior High School policy.
Global Infoanalytics polling ahead of the election shows that 77% of voters are concerned about the state of the economy.
The next most pressing issue is jobs, which concerns 65% of voters. Education followed with 52% of voters, road infrastructure at 22%, and healthcare at 19%. Other less prominent issues that concern votes include taxes and corruption.
Many Ghanaians experienced some poverty in the past year, which was marked by shortages of basic necessities. This led to a majority of citizens rating the NPP government’s economic management negatively.
Bawumia shied away from economic issues during his campaign, while the NDC's flagship policy proposal has been the 24-Hour Economy.
How does Ghana's election work?
The polls open for 18.7 million registered voters at 7 am and close at 5 pm. The 2024 electoral roll saw an increase of 1,746,518 voters compared to the 2020 electoral roll, which had 17,027,641 voters.
To win the presidential election in the first round, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes cast.
If no one passes the 50% mark, a second-round run-off will be held between the two leading candidates in the first round.
In contrast, the parliamentary election is run on a first-past-the-post basis. A winner will be declared if a candidate has a majority of the votes, even if they get less than 50% of the votes cast.
Can you vote without voter IDs in Ghana's election?
On election day, voters will show up at the polling station with their voter ID card, where they will be biometrically verified and issued the two ballot papers.
After each voter has cast their ballot, their little finger is marked with indelible ink to prevent them from voting again.
Persons without voter IDs can still vote if their name is on the voter register. The EC will use biometric verification to confirm their identity.
Interior ministry closes land borders
YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana's land borders were closed ahead of the elections.
The interior ministry said the border closure will be in place until 6 pm on December 8, 2024.
The ministry also urged travellers to cooperate with temporary border directives.
Source: YEN.com.gh
