Rejected ballots have long been a source of concern in Ghana’s elections, with figures from the 2012 general election showing 251,720 discarded votes or 2.3% of the total cast.
This figure exceeded the combined votes of all presidential candidates outside the NDC and NPP.
As Ghana approaches the 2024 General Election, the trend raises questions about voter education, ballot design, and electoral processes.
Rejected ballots are those cast by voters but later declared invalid by polling officials during the sorting process. This happens when ballots fail to meet legal requirements, such as lacking the official validation stamp or having multiple marks, making the voter’s intention unclear.
These ballots, though submitted, are excluded from the final count. In contrast, spoilt ballots are unused papers returned by voters after errors or damage. These may include ballots marked in a way that risks invalidation or ones that become soiled or torn. Unlike rejected ballots, spoilt ballots are replaced, giving the voter another chance to cast their vote correctly.
Data from the Electoral Commission reveals the high scale of rejected ballots in Ghana’s elections, a challenge that has persisted for decades. In 1992, 64,354 ballots were rejected, accounting for 3.02% of the total votes cast. Four years later, the number more than doubled to 111,108, although this represented a lower percentage of 1.53%.
The numbers have fluctuated in subsequent years. In 2000, 119,362 ballots were rejected in the first round, with 104,214 in the run-off. By 2004, the figure climbed to 188,123, and in 2008, it reached 205,438 in the first round. In 2012, rejected ballots totalled 251,720, and in 2016, the number dropped to 168,882. However, the 2020 elections saw a sharp increase, with 313,397 ballots rejected representing 2.33% of all votes cast.
These rejected ballots represent lost voices, votes that could have influenced the outcome of elections. Despite ongoing voter education efforts by institutions like the NCCE, ISD, and other stakeholders, many voters still face challenges in casting valid ballots.
As Ghana’s democracy evolves, improving voter education and simplifying the voting process remain critical. Ensuring that every vote counts is not just a goal but a responsibility, one that requires continuous effort from all stakeholders.
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