The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has taken the extraordinary step of recalling ballot papers intended for the Western and Eastern Regions following an incident involving a defaced ballot paper.

The decision has led to the rescheduling of the special voting exercise for these regions to Thursday, December 5.

At an emergency press briefing on Sunday, December 1, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa addressed concerns about why the entire batch of ballots was recalled despite the issue being limited to a single defaced paper.  

"Some have posed the question… why would you reprint all the ballots when it's only a single defaced… ballot paper that was taken out of the printing house? Our avowed intention is to ensure and guarantee the integrity of the 2024 election," Mrs Mensa explained.  

Although the defaced ballot paper was reportedly found outside a printing house, Mrs. Mensa noted that the incident warranted a broader response to preserve public confidence in the electoral process.
 
"It has not been an easy decision to recall a ballot simply because a defaced ballot paper has been taken out of the printing press. But… we are of the view that this is important… to guarantee and ensure the integrity of the elections," she emphasised.  

Enhanced security and new measures  

To address the incident, the EC will engage three printing houses—Buck Press, Acts Commercial, and Innolink—to reprint the ballots with enhanced security features.
 
"There would be new features added onto the ballots, and the serial numbers would also be revised to ensure a marked difference between what has already been printed and what is about to be printed," Mrs Mensa stated. 

The EC has collaborated with security agencies and political parties to bolster security around the reprinting process.
  
*"Our parties have… pledged their commitment to protect and heighten the security around the reprinting of the ballots," she added.  

Impact on Special Voting  

Special voting for the rest of the country will proceed as planned on Monday, December 2. However, voters in the Eastern and Western Regions, including security personnel, election officials, and media practitioners, will cast their ballots on December 5 instead.  

"We ask the special voters in these two regions to bear with us. Our sole objective as a Commission is to ensure the integrity of the election in both regions," Mrs Mensa appealed.  

Collaborative effort for electoral integrity  

Mrs. Mensa expressed gratitude to political parties for their cooperation, highlighting the consensus reached during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting.

"There has been consensus around the issue of recall and reprint, and we have all agreed that ballots for the Eastern Region and the Western Region should be reprinted. We thank the political parties and the agents of the presidential candidates for their support," she said.  

As the EC works to rectify the situation, Mrs Mensa reassured Ghanaians of the Commission’s dedication to upholding democratic principles: "We call on all citizens to support us in our effort to guarantee the integrity of the 2024 election."

The reprinting process is underway, with the EC promising timely updates to ensure a transparent and credible election for all stakeholders.