The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced the postponement of special voting for the Eastern and Western Regions to Thursday, December 5, 2024. This decision was made following a leak involving a defaced presidential ballot paper meant for the Eastern Region.
At a press briefing on Sunday, December 1, 2024, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa explained the rationale behind the postponement. “The special voting for Eastern and Western Regions will not take place on Monday, December 2 as planned. It will now take place on Thursday, December 5,” she stated.
Reasons Behind the Postponement
The leaked ballot paper, which had been marked for destruction by the printing company, was discovered outside the secure environment of the printing house. According to the EC, “it found its way out of the printing house.”
The printing was handled by Rocheck Limited, under the close supervision of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB), National Security, EC staff, and representatives of political parties. National Security alerted the EC to the incident, prompting immediate action.
“The Commission was informed by the National Security that one single defaced ballot paper meant for the Presidential election for the Eastern Region had been taken out of the printing house,” Jean Mensa said during the briefing.
Steps to Address the Issue
As a precaution, the EC has recalled all ballot papers for the Eastern Region and ordered a reprint. Due to the involvement of the same printing house, ballot papers for the Western Region have also been recalled for reprinting.
To expedite the process, three different printing houses have been engaged to handle the reprinting of ballot papers for both regions. Jean Mensa assured political parties that they would be kept informed throughout the process, emphasizing the Commission’s commitment to transparency.
“The Commission is of the view that as part of its efforts to remain transparent, it was important to inform the political parties about the leakage of this single ballot paper for the presidential in the Eastern Region,” she noted.
Voting in Other Regions Unaffected
Despite the postponement in the Eastern and Western Regions, the special voting scheduled for Monday, December 2, will proceed as planned in all other regions.
This incident comes amidst growing scrutiny of the Electoral Commission’s ability to ensure a flawless electoral process. The EC’s swift response to the issue and its commitment to transparency are seen as critical steps in maintaining public trust as the country prepares for the 2024 elections.
Stay tuned for further updates on the developments surrounding this issue.
