FULL TEXT: Jean Mensa provides an update on final voters register

I am pleased to inform you that the Final Voters Register has a total of seventeen million and twenty-seven thousand, six hundred and forty-one (17,027,641) registrants who are eligible to vote come December 7th, 2020.

Of the total number of registered voters, females constitute eight million, eight hundred and ten thousand, two hundred and eighty-three (8,810,283) representing 51.74% of the total Register while males amounted to eight million, two hundred and seventeen thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight (8,217,358), representing 48.26% of the total Register.

Greater Accra has the highest number of female and male registrants.

The region with the lowest number of female and male registrants is North East Region.

Below is the total number of registered Voters per Region on the Final Voters Register:

Region and Number of Valid Voters

Western: 1,187,333

Central: 1,567,756

Greater Accra: 3,528,996

Volta: 924,116

Eastern: 1,641,050

Ashanti: 3,019,178

Western North: 468,683

Ahafo: 316,970

Bono: 653,378

Bono East: 594,610

Oti: 358,552

Northern: 1,050,016

Savannah: 298,404

Upper West: 469,753

North East: 289,529

Upper East: 659,317

Total: 17,027,641

I will now address the issue of the persons whose names have been placed on the Multiples and Exceptions list. For the information of the General Public this information has been given to the Political Parties. It was provided to them on the 7th of November 2020 together with the Voters Register.

Multiples List

The total number of multiple registrations on the Multiples list today stands at fifteen thousand, eight hundred and sixty (15,860). We have seen a decrease in the number because some of these persons proceeded to court and had their objections overturned by the court.

By its name this list refers to the number of multiple registrations done by unique individuals. It does not refer to unique individuals. As such, if a person registered five (5) times, all five registrations will be recorded on the list although the five registrations were undertaken by one person.

The number of unique individuals who conducted the multiple registration is however seven thousand, eight hundred and ninety ( 7,890).

It is instructive to note that the Multiples List is not generated by the Staff of the Commission. This list is generated by the ABIS system when it detects multiple registrations by a unique individual when the same set of fingerprints appears for persons bearing different names. The system picks this up and isolates the registrant. This is not done by staff of the commission.

I emphasize this to allay the fears or perception of the Commission deliberately removing names of registrants from the Register. When a person with a unique set of fingerprints registers multiple times, this is flagged and picked up by the system and the names and details are isolated on the Multiples list.

Exceptions List

Again, there have been perceptions that the EC is deliberating removing persons from the register and placing them on the Exceptions list. This is false.

This Exceptions list refers to unique individuals who conducted various forms of electoral malpractices including underage registration, registration by foreigners, and registration by persons not ordinarily resident in the area where they wish to register

To date, we have a total number of 13,997 persons on the Exceptions list. It is important to note that the list was developed as a result of the citizens at the grass root level challenging and objecting to registration of certain persons. During the Registration Exercise a number of persons had their registrations challenged.

As a result, they were not provided with their Voter ID cards. Additionally, during the Exhibition period, a number of persons had their registrations objected to for some of the reasons stated above. It is important to know that those challenged at registration had to opportunity to appeal against the challenge to their registration by providing proof of their eligibility to be registered to the DRRC set up by the Electoral Commission to hear these cases. Some of the challenged persons had their challenges overturned and these persons were then provided with their cards and included in the Voters Register.

Again, persons whose registrations were objected to during the Exhibition processes also had the opportunity to appear before the Magistrate.i.e. the DRRO and appealed against their objections by presenting requisite documents and evidence to prove their eligibility. A good number the objections were overturned, and these persons have been reflected in the register.

It is important to note that beyond this, a number of persons whose appeals were not granted by the DRRC and DRRO sought redress at the High Court. A number of appeals were granted, and these persons have been included in the Voters Register as we speak. Two of such cases occurred in Zubzugu, in the Northern where some 443 people have been included in the register following the granting of their appeal by the High Court. Their Voter ID cards have since been issued to them.

Again, in Effutu, Winneba some fifty-two (52) persons appealed against the objection to their inclusion in the register. The High Court overturned those objections and they have all been included in the Voters Register by the Commission. As we speak their voters ID cards have been issued to them.

It is important to note that in the past the Multiples List and the Exception List were not published by the Commission. However, in the spirit of transparency the Commission has decided to publish both lists on its website. Both lists add up to a total number twenty one thousand, eight hundred and eighty seven (21,887)unique individuals.

For the information of the general public, the Exceptions and Multiples List prior to the 2016 election amounted to some eight hundred thousand 800,000 persons. They were banned from voting in the 2016 Elections. Today these persons have been given another opportunity to register and vote.

It is important to note that following the data freeze, the Commission received some court decisions reversing the decisions of the DRRO i.e. Magistrate. In total (55) persons on the Multiples List had their objections overturned. What it means is that the Commission is enjoined to grant them an opportunity to vote. However, since the Data had been frozen at the time, we received the court decision, they could not be included in the database. We are adding them to the missing names list to enable them to vote.

Additionally, some 233 persons were placed in wrong Polling Stations. These persons have also been added to the Missing Names List at the Polling Stations where they originally registered. They will be provided the opportunity to vote and will be verified manually using the Manual Verification Forms.

In total, the list of missing names who will be given the opportunity to vote stands at 830 persons across thirty eight thousand, six hundred and twenty two (38,622) Polling Stations.

The list will be posted on the Website.

Final Voters Register On The Website

The EC is enjoined by the electoral laws as outlined in C.I. 127 to publish the certified copy of the Final Voters Register in a manner determined by the Commission.

As such, the Commission has elected to make the Register available in two (2) electronic formats to allow registered Voters seamlessly check their details ahead of the Elections. The Final Voters Register is available through:

The Commission’s website – https://registers.ec.gov.gh

On the Commission’s website, the Register has been published in two searchable databases. One for special voting and one for the December 7th voting. Voters registered for Special Voting on the 1st of December are advised to use the Special Register option. Every other Voter should use the Main Register option.

To access their details, registered voters are required to enter their 10-digit Voter ID card number on the website application to confirm their details ahead of the 2020 December Polls.

The second option available for checking a person’s details is by using the USSD code – *711*2020#

The Commission has provided a USSD code for registered voters to check their details on all networks. To access their details, registered voters need to dial *711*2020# on any phone and network, enter their Voter ID card number and the Polling Station Code where they registered. Please note that this information is available on the voter’s Voter Card.

A valid voter will get a response on their phone which will contain: Full Name of the voter, their Voter ID Number and Date of Birth, their Polling Station Code and Name.

The good news is that, both services are FREE.

The publication of the Final Voters Register in these two (2) electronic formats will enable Voters ascertain their Polling Station details to enable them go through a seamless voting process on election day.

May God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong

LET PEACE REIGN