Ghana
- System of government
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
- Republic
- Presidential system
- Number of Chambers (Unicameral / Bicameral)
and their tenure
: Unicameral, 4 years.
System of government-References:
- Total population
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
25,758,108
Total population-References:
- Total area (in square kilo meters)
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17 238,533㎢
Total area (in square kilo meters)-References:
- Number of registered voters
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
14,158,890
Number of registered voters-References:
- Number of registered political parties
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Number of polling stations
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 apx. 29000
Number of polling stations-References:
- Average number of voters per polling station
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting age
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
Age 18.
Voting age-References:
- Elected Offices
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Election system
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 Plurality (FPTP)
Election system-References:
- Terms of office
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 The President is elected by majority vote to serve a 4-year term.
In the Parliament 275 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.
Terms of office-References:
- Election
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 Ghanaian general election, 2012
Election-References:
- Date
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 7 December 2012
Date-References:
- Political parties in the elections
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Number of elected candidates
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 275 seats in the Parliament
Number of elected candidates-References:
- Voter turnout
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17 71.36%
Voter turnout-References:
- Number of ballots cast
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 11,225,188
Number of ballots cast-References:
- Legal framework for elections
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Legal provisions
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (1996), art. 5, 249
Legal provisions-References:
- Referenda
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (1996), art.5
Referenda-References:
- People’s Initiatives
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 No
People’s Initiatives-References:
- Recall Votes
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21
Recalls are only applicable at the district level
Recall Votes-References:
- Official name
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
Electoral Commission of Ghana
Official name -References:
- Mission, Vision, Key Objectives, Functions
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Type of EMB(independent, governmental, mixed)
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
Independent
Type of EMB(independent, governmental, mixed)-References:
- EMB budget source
- Last Updated : 2016-09-22
the national budget
EMB budget source-References:
- EMB expenditure audit
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 Another organ within the national government
EMB expenditure audit-References:
- Number of EMB members (commissioners)
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 1 - 10 members
Number of EMB members (commissioners)-References:
- Term of EMB members (commissioners)
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 For an unspecified period
Term of EMB members (commissioners)-References:
- Who appoints members (commissioners)?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Selection of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Administrative divisions
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21
ten regions divided into six metropolitan assemblies; and 55 municipal assemblies subdivided into a total of 212 districts
Administrative divisions -References:
- Delimitation of constituencies(electoral district)
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 Ghana shall be divided into as many constituencies for the purpose of election of members of Parliament as the Electoral Commission may prescribe, and each constituency shall be represented by one member of Parliament. Constitution, art. 47
Delimitation of constituencies(electoral district) -References:
- Criteria for drawing boundaries
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 "Equality" of population - Respecting natural barriers - Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries - Geographic size of district - Communities of interest/cultural concerns
Criteria for drawing boundaries-References:
- Body responsible for drawing boundaries
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 Part of Constitution - Separate legislation - Regulations or administrative rules
Body responsible for drawing boundaries-References:
- Requirements on the right to vote
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
Article 42 of the Constitution states that, “Every citizen of Ghana of eighteen years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda”.
Requirements on the right to vote-References:
- Reasons for having the right to vote revoked
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral Eligibility
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Reasons for having the eligibility revoked
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Requirements for party registration
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Candidate nomination
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Nomination by political parties
- Self nomination (independents)
- Candidate Registration (National Assembly members)
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Requirement
- Period
- Method
- Application form
- Acceptance and notice
- Restriction/Prohibition on candidate registration
- Candidate registration deposit
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Amount of fee
- Return of fee
- Uncontested Election
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Preparation of the voters list
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 Ghana procured about 40,000 Biometric Verification Devices to ensure that the machine is available for more than 26,000 polling stations. The Biometric Verification Machine uses photographic image and finger print at the polling station elections
Preparation of the voters list-References:
- Whether the registration is compulsory (or not)
- Last Updated : 2016-10-17 Created by the EMB using its own data collection and/or other sources of data
Whether the registration is compulsory (or not)-References:
- Who is responsible for the voters list
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17 Electoral Commission of Ghana
Who is responsible for the voters list -References:
- Voters list preparation procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Inspection and objection procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Definition
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Period
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Methods
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Prohibited forms of campaigning
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Who is not permitted to campaign
- Campaign Finance
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Campaign expense limit
- Income and expenditure of campaign expense
- Report, public inspection, and open of income and expenditure
- Investigation on income and expenditure of campaign expense & actions
- Reimbursement of campaign expense
- Presiding officers
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① How many of officers in a polling station
② Roles of each officer
③ How we nominate the officers
- Facilities or items a polling station is equipped with
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Polling station location criteria
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting hours
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Is compulsory or voluntary?
② How many ballot papers are distributed to each voter?
- Ballot Paper
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Determination of the order of candidates on ballots
② What has to be included in the ballot paper?
③ Ballot paper design or sample ballot paper
④ Valid and invalid ballot paper
- Voting Procedures
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Start ofvoting
- Process of voting
- End of voting
- Marking method
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Special voting (Absentee / Early / Proxy / Assisted / Postal / etc)
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Who are subjected to do
② Voting procedures
- Counting Location
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 The polling stations
Counting Location-References:
- Counting period
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Vote counting method
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Counting Procedures
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24
Separate ballots for different elections - Preliminary count of all ballots in ballot box - Tally of voters who voted
Counting Procedures-References:
- When are ballots recounted?
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 By request
When are ballots recounted?-References:
- Who is eligible to vote for overseas voting?
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 Citizens outside the country (including those on vacation)
Students
Diplomatic staff
Who is eligible to vote for overseas voting?-References:
- Overseas voters list preparation
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Where to vote
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting procedure for early voting
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Methods used to transport ballot papers
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Counting procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- How is the elected candidate chosen in the case of a tie?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Apportioning of National Assembly seats
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Results Announcement
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Is the announcement of preliminary result required?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Deadline for announcement of final results
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Reason for holding a by- or re-election
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- By-election dates
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral process
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 Equal regardless of size of party and previous performance
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time-References:
- Television debates
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 presidential elections - legislative elections
Television debates-References:
- Blackout period for release of election survey results
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral dispute resolution body
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral dispute resolution mechanism
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Alternative electoral dispute resolution mechanism
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Direct public funding
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- If so, eligibility criteria for direct public funding
- If so, how this fund will be allocated
- Private funding of political parties
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- If so, is there limit on the amount a donor can contribute to candidate or political party
- Regulation, monitoring and investigation
- Last Updated : 2016-10-27 Sanctions include fines, prison, forfeiture, deregistration of party, etc.
Regulation, monitoring and investigation-References:
- Regulation, monitoring and investigation bodies
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Which electoral processes are using ICTs?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voter registration and identification
- E-voting
- Processing of results
- Election administration
- When it was introduced
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Gender equality
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Aids for disabled or handicapped voters
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voter education
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 Continuously
Voter education-References:
- National civic education
- Last Updated : 2016-08-24 Poster/ Billboard campaigns - Media advertisement - Public meetings
National civic education-References:
- EMB Staff education
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Domestic observation
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- International observation
- Last Updated : 2016-11-21 In response to an invitation by the Ghanaian authorities, the European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Ghana to observe the Presidential and Parliamentary elections which are scheduled for 7 December. This is the third time that the European Union is observing elections in Ghana (previously in 2008 and 2012), which reflects the EU's long-term commitment to supporting credible, transparent and inclusive elections in the country.
International observation-References:
- Partnerships/MoUs
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- International Activities
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Major challenges to elections
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
- Polling stations situated at inappropriate place, inaccessible place affects voting and counting.
- Lack of awareness by Election officers.
- Getting qualified human resource especially person with relatively adequate computer knowledge particularly in the rural areas.
- Introduction of new technology without adequate training period
- The problem of verification of eligible voters using the Biometric voter device[BVD] led to a number of eligible voters being disqualified/disenfranchise to vote despite their names being in the voter register.
- In some polling stations with larger numbers of registered voters, the processing of voters was slow as it was more difficult to locate their names in the voter register.
Major challenges to elections-References:
- Measures taken to deal with those Challenges
- Last Updated : 2016-08-17
- It is true that, is extremely difficult to get the right caliber of personnel as Election officials but introducing the recruitment of qualified and recognized public servants with attractive remunerations will help in reducing Electorate manipulation during the Election process and also So as to prevent some them, who are assigned to the polling stations failed to turn up because they had better offers.
- Increasing the number of training days depending on the category of personnel.
- Proper storage and maintenance attitude towards Election machines to prevent failure during the Election process.
- Polling stations with large numbers of registered voters, can have two more polling staff so to help locate names quicker and accurately. To avoid voting into the night.
- They should be a sense of duty from both the Electoral officials and Election officials in the conduct of their respective responsibilities so as to maintain Accountability, Excellence, Inclusiveness and Integrity of the Electoral Process/system.
Measures taken to deal with those Challenges-References: