REVISION OF THE VOTERS REGISTER 2008
1.Introduction
Voting is both a right and a responsibility. According to Article 42 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992.
"Every citizen of Ghana of sound mind has the right to vote and entitled to be registered as a voter for the purpose of public elections and referenda".
In July / August 2008 eligible Ghanaians who have not registered when the Electoral Commission embarks on the revision or update of the voters register. This revision of the Voters Registered is limited registration exercise to Electoral Commission undertakes periodically to register eligible Ghanaians who have turned 18 years and other Ghanaians who for some reasons did not register during the previous registration exercise to enable them vote during election
2.Qualification for registration
- ⇔ Applicant must be a Ghanaian
- ⇔ Must be 18 years of age or above.
- ⇔ Must be of a sound mind.
- ⇔ Should be residents or ordinarily residents in the electoral area where he /she wants to register
- ⇔ Must not be prohibited by any law in force from registering as a voter.
3.Registration offences
- ⇔Registering more than once, either at the same place or at different places (multiple registration)
- ⇔Registering in the name of some other person, alive, dead or fictitious (impersonation)
- ⇔Unlawful possession of registration materials.
- ⇔Lying about one’s nationality or age.
- ⇔Printing any form related to the registration of voters without authority from the commission.
- ⇔Interfering with or disrupting the registration process or the work of a registration official.
⇔Forging or willfully destroying any official notice or document concerning the registration of voters
4.Penalty
Anyone found guilty of any of the above mentioned offences is liable on conviction by a court, to a fine not exceeding one Hundred Ghana cedis, (GH¢100.00) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two (2) year or both.
In addition, the offenders could be barred from registering as a voter for five (5) years, starting imprisonment from the date of the expiration of the term of imprisonment.
5.Challenges and complaints
The registration Officer, any person accredited by the commission to monitor the registration exercise , or any person who qualifies to be registered as a voter may challenge the eligibility of a person applying to be registered as a voter.6.Grounds for challenge
- An applicant’s eligibility may be challenged on the ground that he / she:
- ⇔Is not a Ghanaian citizen
- ⇔Is not 18 years or above (he / she is a minor)
- ⇔Is not of sound mind
- ⇔Not resident in the electoral area where he / she is seeking to register.
- ⇔Is prohibited by law from registering
- ⇔Is already a registered voter
7.When can a challenge be filed
- ⇔A challenge is filed when an applicant presents himself for registration.
- ⇔The applicant must be told that he / she has been challenged.
- ⇔No challenge can be filed after the applicant has already registered and left the registration center.
8.Proceeding for filling challenges
- ⇔A person who qualifies to register as a voter may challenge the eligibility of an applicant.
- ⇔The challenger expresses his intention to challenge the applicant by informing the Registration officer of his intention in the presence of the applicants
- ⇔The challenger is given a challenge form to fill.
- ⇔The challenger is must statehis reasons for the challenge clearly.
- ⇔A challenge should not stop the applicant from going through the process if he / she insist that he / she is qualified.
- ⇔No attempt should be made to physically or otherwise restrain the person who has been challenged from going through the process.
- ⇔At the appropriate time both the challenger and the challenged will be made to appear before a District Registration Review Committee for a determination of the challenge.
- ⇔A person whose registration is challenged will not be given an ID card until he / she is cleared by the District Registration Review Committee
9.Appeals against decisions of the District Registration Review Committee
- ⇔A person who is not satisfied with the decision of the District Registration Review Committee may appeal against the decision to the Chief Registration Review Officer
- ⇔The Chief Registration Review Officer may be the supervising High Court Judge or his representative.
- ⇔The decision of the Chief registration review Officer shall be final and binding of the Commission.
