The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has confirmed it will not alter the ballot positions of presidential candidates for the December 7 elections. Addressing political parties at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, EC Chairperson Jean Adukwei Mensa clarified, “We are not here to change positions. We are not here to re-ballot.” This announcement aimed to dispel speculations that the death of Akua Donkor, Ghana Freedom Party’s (GFP) candidate, might necessitate changes in ballot placements.
With 90% of ballot printing completed prior to Donkor’s passing, the EC instructed printing houses to halt production temporarily. Despite allowing a 10-day window for GFP to propose a replacement candidate, the EC disqualified this nominee over unresolved “errors” on their nomination forms.
Concerns have surfaced over potential voter confusion given that the printed ballots bear Akua Donkor’s image and name. To mitigate this, the EC plans public awareness campaigns to inform voters about the deceased candidate’s ineligibility. Jean Mensa stated, “The commission will proceed with the ballot that bears the image and symbol of Madam Akua Donkor and the Ghana Freedom Party, to save costs and maintain electoral timelines.”