ghana elections - biometric voter registration guide - 2012

BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION GUIDE - 2012

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ABOUT THE GUIDE

This manual is designed to provide eligible voters with information on the new voter

registration system in Ghana and supply information on how to be registered.

The manual will also be useful to Political Parties, Party Agents, Candidates, Security

Agents, Observers and other stakeholders in the electoral process in guiding their

understanding of the Registration process. Especially with the introduction of the new

technology which is designed to reduce malpractice and fraud in the registration of voters

thereby producing a credible Register of Voters which will guarantee the conduct of free, fair

and credible election.

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THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION

The Electoral Commission is provided for under Article 43 of the 1992 Constitution and

established by an Act of Parliament, Act 451 of 1993.

The Commission’s mission derived from its mandate both under the Constitution and the

Law is to organize and supervise all public elections and referenda as a way of advancing

the course of democracy and good governance for enhanced development of Ghana

through institutionalizing free, fair and transparent elections.

The main functions of the Commission are outlined in the Electoral Commission Act, 1993

(Act 451), as amended by Electoral Commission (Amendment) Act, 2003 Section 2 are:

• To compile the register of voters and revise it at such periods as may be determined by law;

• To demarcate the electoral boundaries for both national and local government elections;

• To conduct and supervise all public elections and referenda;

• To educate the people of the electoral process and its purpose;

• To undertake programmes for the expansion of the registration of voters; and

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• To perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law.

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VOTER REGISTRATION

Voter registration refers to the entire process of making the register of voters, also known as

the voters register, voters list, voters roll, or the electoral roll. Usually, the process consists

of four distinct stages, namely;

• The field collection of biographic data of eligible persons; key amongst them are the

name, age, sex and residential address

• The compilation of the collected data into a provisional register of qualified voters

• The exhibition or public display of the provisional register for purposes of affording

persons who successfully applied for registration the opportunity to make sure that their

names have been included and that their personal details are correct.

• The production of the final voters register as the official list of persons qualified to vote in

elections

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OVERVIEW OF THE VOTERS REGISTRATION PROCESS IN GHANA

The voters’ register as it exists today has evolved over decades. Voters’ lists have been

used in Ghana since 1925 (where the eligibility criterion was land ownership). The voters’

register has been computerized since 1988, although no voter ID cards were issued at that

time. The first voter ID cards were issued in 1995.

Voters registration is done periodically at registration centres where eligible persons must

appear in person to have a paper form completed and their photograph taken. Voters

receive a voter ID card. The card is a counterfoil of the paper registration form, which is

cold laminated and contains a photograph of the voter.

The registration forms are scanned and the data is captured using a combination of optical

mark recognition (OMR), optical character recognition (OCR) and intelligent character

recognition (ICR) technologies.

Double or multiple voting is prevented primarily by the application of indelible ink on a

voter’s finger once he/she has voted on Election Day. However, the voters’ register does

not use biometrics and does not have other reliable means of avoiding multiple

registrations.

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To address the concerns of double registration and impersonation which affect the accuracy

of the register, the Commission has decided to compile the new roll using biometric

technology for the 2012 general elections and subsequent elections.

BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION

Biometric Voter Registration involves the use of biometric technology in voter registration.

Biometric technology is the use of computers, fingerprint scanners and digital cameras to

capture the bio-data of applicants. Fingerprints are unique to every individual and it is these

unique features and other details that are stored in the computer from which the voters

register is produced.

As done in previous registrations all applicants must be physically present at designated

registration centres (regular polling stations) to be registered as voters.

WHY BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION

The old method of registering voters did not have inbuilt mechanism for detecting multiple

registrations and therefore there were instances where some unscrupulous individuals

registered more than once. Biometric technology will make the detection and removal of

multiple registrations from the system possible. With this a more accurate and reliable

register will be produced for the elections.

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BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION – 2012

The Electoral Commission will embark on a nationwide voter registration exercise from

Saturday 24th March to Saturday 5th May, 2012.

The biometric voter registration is a complete replacement of the voters register compiled

from 2004 to 2010. As a result all previous registrations and existing voter I.D cards will no

longer be valid. All Ghanaian citizens who are registered from 2004 to 2010 should

therefore be registered anew to qualify to vote in public elections and referenda.

The registration will be carried out in four phases in all regions of the country. Each phase

will take ten days including Saturdays and Sundays. Phase one will start on the 24th of

March and end on the 2nd of April. Phase two will begin on the 4th of April and end on the

13th of April. The third phase will start on the 15th of April and end on the 24th of April, while

the last phase, phase four, will start on 26th and end on the 5th of May, 2012.

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WHO QUALIFIES TO REGISTER AS A VOTER?

Only Ghanaian citizens who are;

18 years or above

Of a sound mind

Resident or ordinarily resident in an electoral area or are permitted by law to register

in an electoral area

WHERE WILL REGISTRATION TAKE PLACE

Registration of voters will take place at all registration centres (polling stains) throughout the

country. You are expected to apply for registration in person at a registration centre (polling

station) in the electoral area where you live. Remember that your registration centre will be

your polling station on election day.

HOW WILL REGISTRATION BE DONE

The biometric voter registration will be done in clusters simultaneously in all regions across

the country. This means that a team of registration officials with a set of equipment (kit) will

be assigned to a number of polling stations in an electoral area. The team will operate in a

registration centre (polling station) for a period of 10 days and move to another registration

centre (polling station) within the cluster for another 10 days. The team will spend 10 days

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in each registration centre (polling station) until all registration centres (polling stations) in

the electoral area are covered.

Electoral areas that are large and have more polling stations will have two or more

registration teams.

You can see from this arrangement that there is no need to worry if the registration team is

not at your polling station at the start of the exercise. You will eventually have your turn.

TIME FOR REGISTRATION

Registration will start at 7.00am and end at 6.00pm each day of the registration period,

including Saturdays and Sundays.

REGISTRATION PERIOD

SATURDAY, 24TH MARCH 2012 - SATURDAY 5TH MAY, 2012

PHASES OF REGISTRATION

1. Phase 1 - 24th March – 2nd April, 2012

2. Phase 2 - 4th April – 13th April, 2012

3. Phase 3 - 15th April – 24th April, 2012

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4. Phase 4 - 26th April – 5th May, 2012

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THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

1. Registration will start at 7.00am and end at 6.00pm each day of the registration period,

including Saturdays and Sundays.

As an applicant you must be physically present at the registration centre to provide the

following information to the Registration Officer;

Name

Date of birth

Age

Sex

Residential address/house number of your present abode

Names of parents (dead or alive)

Home town/residential address in home town if different from present abode

District where hometown is located

2. Capturing of Fingerprints

The fingerprints of all your ten fingers will be electronically captured using a fingerprint

scanner. The four fingerprints on the right hand will be captured first followed by the left

hand and finally the two thumbprints.

3. Photo Taking

In addition to taking your fingerprints, your photograph will also be taken on the spot.

This photograph will be printed on your voter ID card and the voters register.

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4. Issuance of Voter I.D. Cards

Unless your application for registration as a voter is challenged, you will be issued with a

voter ID card at the point of registration. Please wait for your I.D card before you leave

the registration centre. If your application for registration as a voter is challenged you

will be issued with a voter I.D card only if you are cleared by the District Registration

Review Committee (DRRC) set up in every district to investigate and determine the

challenges.

CHALLENGING AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION

An applicant’s registration as a voter may be challenged by anybody who qualified to be

registered as a voter.

A challenge on the eligibility of an applicant to register as a voter will not stop him/her from

going through the process if he/she insist that he/she is qualified.

The applicant will be allowed to go through the process except that he/she will not be issued

with a voter I.D card until the challenge is determined by the District Registration Review

Committee (DRRC).

If an applicant is challenged, both the applicant and the challenger will appear before the

DRRC for hearing and determination of the challenge.

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GROUNDS FOR REGISTRATION CHALLENGE

An applicant’s registration may be challenged on the grounds that he/she;

Is not a citizen of Ghana

Is a minor (not 18 years)

Is not of a sound mind

Is not resident in the electoral area

Is already registered as a voter

Is not the person he/she claims to be (impersonation)

Is prohibited by law from registering as a voter

DISTRICT REGISTRATION REVIEW COMMITTEE (DRRC)

A District Registration Review Committee will be set up in every district to investigate and

determine registration challenges in the respective districts. An applicant or challenger who

is not satisfied with the decision of the DRRC may appeal to the Chief Registration Review

Officer who is a High Court Judge in the region for a review of that decision.

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A district Registration Review Committee consists of;

(a) One representative of each registered political party active in the district;

(b) The district officer of the Commission, who is the secretary to the Committee;

(c) The Police Commander in the district or the representative of that Police Commander;

(d) The District Director of Education or the representative of that District Director; and

(e) One representative of the traditional authorities in the district

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REGISTRATION OFFENCES

A person who;

Registers as a voter when that person does not qualify to be registered

Registers as a voter more than once either at the same registration centre or at different registration centres;

Registers as a voter in the name of another person whether that other person is dead or alive;

Using force or threat of force (physical/spiritual) to prevent one from registering as a voter

Providing false information to registration officer for the purpose of securing registration

Forging, willfully defacing or destroying any officials notice, paper or document relating to the registration of voters

Printing any form relating to the registration of voters without authority from the Electoral Commission

Challenges or objects to the inclusion of the name of another person in the register of voters on a ground that that person knows to be false;

Disrupting procedures at a registration centre or interfering with the work of an official connected with the registration of voters

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Bringing to the registration centre any electronic device that will interfere with the performance of registration equipment.

GENERAL ADVICE

Register in your electoral area at a center close to your residence

Keep your voter I.D card safe and neat for voting on Election Day

Avoid multiple registrations, since the biometric voter registration system will expose you

and you will be liable for prosecution. Avoid impersonation.

If you lose your voter I.D card report promptly to the police

Since only qualified Ghanaian citizens are allowed to register as voters it will be helpful if

applicants show one of the following; birth certificate, baptismal card, passport, driver’s

license, NHIS card, National I.D. Card or existing voter I.D. Card

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ghana elections - biometric voter registration guide - 2012

Documents

voter id cards

voter id card

biometric voter registration

ghanaian citizens

physically present

previous registrations

polling stations

eligible persons