NGOs/CSOs renew partnership to address high incidence of rejected ballots

Ghana's electoral process since 1992 had been characterized by the re-occurrence of spoilt or rejected ballots in general elections. 
 

Despite the modest gains chalked in the smooth transfer of power from one democratic government to the other, the trend has become indelible to overcome as the country continues to record high incidence of the practice.
 

 Experts have established that had it not been the high rate of rejected ballots, most elections would have clearly produced a winner at the end of the first round. 

In an effort to enhance the electoral peace, and credibility in the forthcoming elections, a local governance NGO, TEERE with funding by Star Ghana has engaged a number of NGOs and Civil Society Organisation, CSOs in Bolgatanga to build synergies and discuss ways to addressing the challenge. 

Addressing the gathering, the CEO of TEERE and a former Upper East Regional Minister, Prof Ephraim Avea Nsoh, underscored the urgent need for CSOs and NGOs to intensify public education on proper voting procedures. 

Background

The increasing rate of rejected ballots in the conduct of Ghana's electoral exercise brings to fore the realities of electoral irregularities.

 Audit report by policy tink tanks and experts in local governance, raises questions as to why many people commit electoral errors during voting and repeatedly do so despite public intense education on the proper procedures in voting.  

 While some are considered to be a mistake, others deliberately engaged in this practice for various reasons. 

Most often, spoilt or rejected ballots amount to huge percentages of the votes in excess of the total number of votes generated by some presidential candidates. 

In some instances, these spoilt ballots when collated and added to votes of a particular political party will be enough to make a difference or emerge as winner. 

It will be recall that in the 2012 general elections, out of the over 11 million votes recorded, almost 260 thousand were rejected. 

In the same polls, the Upper East Region recorded almost 20 thousand rejected votes out of the over 570 thousand registered voters. 

The trend, experts say poses a threat to the country's enviable democratic dispensation and when not held in check could affect the outcomes of future elections. 

The consultative meeting was to renew the existing collaboration of CSOs and NGOs in the development of a roadmap for a unified umbrella body that will ensure effective public education on the upcoming elections. 

The meeting advocated for improved voter education and the need for eligible voters to partake in elections. 

The trend of rejected ballot votes in general elections had been a source of worry not only to politicians and CSOs but also to all well-meaning Ghanaians. 

Therefore stringent measures must be instituted to reduce the practice to the barest minimum if not completely eradicated.   

When this is achieved, the desire of the voters will be clearly expressed and known after the conduct of the elections. 

Some participants at the engagement session saw the call by Prof Avea Nsoh as a step in the right direction.

The consultative meeting witnessed the adoption of a roadmap for CSOs and NGOs in the Upper East Region. 

Participants were taken through series of topics including Building CSOs Collaboration among others. TEERE literally means positive transformation change.


 Established in 2014, the NGO now works in four major thematic areas. 

These include, Local Governance, Culture, Education as well as Women Empowerment. 

Supported by DFID and Star Ghana, TEERE has engaged the services of some field officers in Bolga and Bongo to offer public education on topics captured under the said thematic areas.

GBC