EC: PREPARATIONS FOR ELECTION CONTINUE, VOTER

UNCLAS ACCRA 001466

SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GH
SUBJECT: EC: PREPARATIONS FOR ELECTION CONTINUE, VOTER
ROLLS GETTING CLEANER


1. (U) Summary. The Chairman of Ghana's Electoral
Commission (EC),Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, told a November 13
meeting of the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) that
progress was being made in cleaning the voter rolls, with
nearly 350,000 names deleted in an on-going program.
Afari-Gyan told the IPAC members that meetings with
parliamentary candidates and training of party polling agents
would happen in November. A new look ballot form was
unveiled, and voters will now get a full finger dipped in
indelible ink to reduce the possibility of double voting
opportunities. Party reps and the EC agreed on an additional
step to reduce ballot box tampering.

2 (U) Chairman Afari-Gyan began the session by saying that
the EC had removed 349,610 names from the voter rolls as a
result of the on-going cleansing exercise. The process was
continuing, alphabetically (it was not asked what letter the
EC was currently working on) and more names would be deleted.
Those deleted include 76,234 found to be double or multiple
registrants. During the recent limited voter registration
exercise, 1,835,417 people had registered, or about 800,000
more than expected. The parties questioned what would happen
to those incorrectly deleted. Afari-Gyan said that the EC was
instructing polling officers to "give the benefit of the
doubt" and not challenge any individual with a valid voter ID
and whose name was on the voting list. He noted that school
head teachers were being asked to tell under age children who
registered that they should not vote. Afari-Gyan said that
he was "quite certain we won't see those little kids in the
queue on election day." This week the parties were to be
given CDs containing the voter registration list, broken down
by Ghana's ten regions.

3.(U) Pre-election preparations continue, according to
Afari-Gyan. The printing of ballots is progressing well,
according to the chairman. He unveiled a new look ballot,
designed to make it more difficult to a voter to accidentally
put a thumbprint over the boxes for two candidates, leading
to spoiled ballots. Party polling agents will receive
training during the week of November 21. The EC will meet
with parliamentary candidates during November 17-25 in order
to review election rules and procedures. The EC has held IPAC
meetings at the regional level. In a change from previous
years, the EC will require voters to dip their entire finger
into India Ink to identify that they have voted and to
discourage efforts at double voting. A representative of the
opposition National Democratic Congress expressed concerns
about possible election day ballot box swapping. Afari-Gyan
agreed to allow the parties to put their own seals on the
boxes, to allow for identification. (Note: The EC also seals
the boxes, each with a unique serial number).

4 (SBU) Comment. Afari-Gyan's announcement of the removal of
350,000 names from the voter rolls elicited limited
questioning from the party representatives--such as who the
people were, a breakdown by region, or more details about the
methodology used by the EC. Diplomats attending IPAC meetings
are not, by convention, allowed to ask questions. An observer
is therefore sometimes left to wonder why party
representatives hold some issues to be more important than
others. End Comment.
TEITELBAUM