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The Presidential Elections Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has released its operational guidelines for the upcoming presidential primary on November 4, 2023.
A significant rule in the guidelines is the banning of camping of delegates on the day of voting.
There shall be no campaign, canvassing for votes or gathering of party people for any purpose whatsoever a day before voting.
Also, No delegates shall be allowed to enter the voting screen or booth in groups or pairs. Delegates who have already cast their vote shall not be re-admitted into the voting perimeter.
In a statement released Friday September 22, 2023, the guidelines state that a Voting Center can have more than one polling station but on the same premises, as long as the threshold does not exceed one thousand (1000) delegates. There will be no congregation on the day of voting, which means no provision to address delegates or the public by any party executive, government official, or contestants.
It is an offense for unaccredited persons to enter the voting perimeter. The Electoral Commission of Ghana shall supervise the conduct of the election and have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free, and fair election. Security activities rest exclusively with the police, and access beyond the security perimeter is restricted to delegates, Presidential Elections Committee Members, Contestants, and their accredited agents.
The election will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at all the 276 constituencies nationwide and the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra (277 voting centers in all). The Electoral Commission shall recommend venues as Voting Centers across the country in each Constituency Capital, and the proposed Voting Centers shall be discussed and accepted by all stakeholders.
All voters shall leave the demarcated voting perimeters immediately after voting. Delegates shall not take phones to the voting perimeter, and it is an offense to take a picture of any vote or show any vote to any person or to the public. Agents of the contestants are allowed to have their phones.
The Electoral Commission shall use complex serial numbers to avoid ballots being traced to voters at a later date, and voting shall be by a walk-in standard practice. The individual shall approach the polling area and vote secretly accordingly. Overall, the guidelines aim to ensure a peaceful and fair election process.
Source: dailyguidenetwork.com
