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| EC: No Electronic Voting in 2012 |
4/9/2011 |
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The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced it would not introduce the electronic voting system in the 2012 elections.
According to the EC, unlike the ballot paper; the processes of vote counting and tabulation in the e-voting system are often invisible which does not satisfy the curiosity of the voters as to whether their votes have been counted or not.
The electronic voting system is expected to help curb cases of double registration, vote rigging, ballot box snatching as well as end the perpetual claim and counter claim of rigging by the parties who take part in elections in the country.
The Danquah Institute (DI), a policy think tank, proposed a switch from the manual to the electronic voting (e-voting) system for the 2012 election because they believe it could be the best solution to end not only systemic electoral fraud, but also post election violence in the future.
But speaking on Asempa FM''s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, Public Affairs Director of the EC, Christian Owusu-Pare explained that even though the e-voting system may resolve the practice of multiple registrations, ballot box theft and multiple voting, verification becomes difficult.
He added that the EC will face a lot of challenges if they rush in the implementation of the electronic system in 2012.
Mr. Owusu-Pare called for much education on how the system works especially in the rural areas before it can be introduce.
The EC Public Affairs Director revealed that the Commission would be employing the biometric form of registering voters for the 2012 election to have a more credible and reliable register to deal with multiple voting and impersonation that tend to undermine public confidence in declared election results.
Mr. Owusu-Pare said the EC has submitted a budget proposal to the government and hoped that the money would be released on time for them to start to exercise.
He promised Ghanaians that the Electoral Commission would improve upon their performance in the 2008 elections but urged all stakeholders to help make the 2012 a peaceful one.
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