#Election2024: Rejected ballots, voter turnout rate — statistics behind the actual results

EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has officially declared former President John Dramani Mahama as the winner of the 2024 presidential election.

The results, announced by EC Chairperson Jean Mensa on Monday, December 9, shed light on key statistics from the poll, including voter turnout, rejected ballots, and valid votes cast.

According to the EC, voter turnout for the election stood at 60.9%, based on results collated from 267 out of the 276 constituencies nationwide.

This translates to a total of 11,430,531 votes cast out of 18,774,159 registered voters. However, the results from nine constituencies are yet to be received due to disruptions.

The EC also reported that 239,109 ballots were rejected during the elections, reflecting the importance of voter education and adherence to voting procedures.

“Total valid votes cast added up to 11,191,422, while rejected ballots amounted to 239,109,” Jean Mensa stated during her announcement.

Despite the outstanding results from nine constituencies, Mensa assured the public that the inclusion of these votes would not alter the final outcome.

“In the event that all the valid votes from the nine constituencies were added to the candidate who placed second, the total would still not meet the 50% plus one threshold required to win the election,” she clarified.

Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emerged victorious with 6,328,397 votes, representing 56.55%, while his closest contender, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), secured 4,657,304 votes, equivalent to 41.61%.

1. Distribution of votes: Bar chart showing total votes for Mahama (NDC), Bawumia (NPP), and rejected ballots.

2. Voter turnout and validity: Bar chart highlighting registered voters, votes cast, and valid votes to illustrate turnout and voting accuracy

The EC’s commitment to transparency and credibility was evident throughout the electoral process, with Mensa expressing pride in the robust systems employed.

“We have conducted elections that are credible, transparent, and peaceful, ensuring that the will of the people, as expressed at the polls, is upheld,” she noted.