EC rectifies voter registration figure blunder

The Electoral Commission (EC) has taken steps to address inaccuracies in the publication of daily voter registration numbers during the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.

In a press release issued at the conclusion of day four of the registration exercise, the EC announced that a total of 143,014 eligible voters had been registered.

"The Electoral Commission has noted some mistakes in the daily voter registration figures earlier published. The mistakes appeared in the total registered figures stated for days two and three although the individual regional figures were accurate, while the day three figure for Upper East was repeated for day four. All these have been corrected," the EC stated.

However, less than 24 hours after releasing the day-four figures, the EC issued a follow-up statement acknowledging errors. Specifically, it noted that the figure for day three in the Upper East region had been repeated for day four. These discrepancies were promptly corrected.

The EC clarified that while the errors affected the total registered figures for days two and three, the individual regional figures remained accurate. Consequently, the total number of registered voters remained unchanged at 143,014.

"At the end of the four days, the total number of registered voters remains 143,014," the EC emphasized.

Providing a breakdown of registration figures by region, the EC reported that the Greater Accra region had registered 17,837 voters, while the Ashanti region recorded the highest number with 25,558 registrations. Other regions reported varying figures, with ongoing efforts aimed at achieving the registration target before the exercise concludes.

The voter registration exercise, which began on May 7, is targeted at first-time voters and individuals seeking to obtain a voter card. Scheduled to last 21 days, the exercise is set to conclude on May 27, 2024.

It is anticipated that a total of 623,000 first-time voters will be added to the voter register by the end of the exercise.

The EC remains committed to ensuring accurate and transparent voter registration processes as the nation prepares for future elections.