Lack Of Logistics Hamper District Elections — CODEO

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has given a generally favorable initial assessment of the District Assembly and Unit Committee elections held today Tuesday .

In its midday situational statement, it however noted that there were some logistics challenges at about half of the polling stations visited.

CODEO said at the time of the setting up of polling stations, all materials needed for the elections were available in 50.2 percent of polling stations.

For example, electoral officers at various polling stations in the La Dadekotopon Constituency in the Greater Accra Region complained about the Electoral Commission's inability to provide some logistics for the district level elections.

The polls at the Sokpayiri electoral area in the Wa municipality of the Upper Region were canceled because the officials did not have ballot paper s.

“Observers reported unavailability of the following voting materials in some polling stations at the time of set-up,” the statement said.

The necessary voting materials include the Ballot Box, Ballot Papers, Indelible Ink, Voting Screen, Validating Stamp, Ink Pad, Endorsing Ink and Tactile Ballot Papers.

Aside from this, CODEO’s assessments of procedure were positive.

Its observers reported that poll officials generally adhered to polling station set-up and opening protocols.

“At 97.6% of polling stations, ballot boxes were shown to be empty, sealed, and placed in the public view before voting commenced. However, in 2.4% of polling stations, this standard practice was not followed by election officials.”

A majority (88.4 percent) of polling stations observed opened between 7:15 am to 8:00 am, including 48.5 percent who opened by 7:15 am.

One in 10 (10.7 percent) opened between 8:01 am and 10:00 am, while 1.0 percent either opened after 10:00 am or had not opened as at the time the observers sent their reports.

In three-quarters of polling stations, standing at 72.9 percent, CODEO observers saw stationed uniformed security personnel.

Regarding Unit Committee Elections, CODEO Observers found candidate agents in 43.1 percent of polling stations.

CODEO observers also noted that 93.3 percent of polling stations were accessible to persons with disabilities and the elderly.

According to the Observer reports, 92.8 percent of the polling stations observed were also set up in a manner that ensured voters could mark their ballots in secret.

CODEO deployed 800 stationary Polling Station Observers and 300 roaming Observers, making a total of 1,100 Observers deployed nationwide.

—citinewsroom