Special voting for persons with special Election Day assignments totaling 109, 577 has commenced throughout the country.
The exercise is taking place at 311 Electoral Commission (EC) designated voting centers located in all the 275 constituencies.
The voting, which started at about 0700hours across all the centres will end at 1700hours.
As at 0600hours when the Ghana News Agency visited majority of the polling stations including the Osu Police Station Polling Station, Ordorkor Polling Station, Darkuman Police Station Polling Station, electoral officials were setting up for the commencement of the exercise.
At the Korle Bu Police Station Polling Station, Mr Emmanuel Paemkah Jnr, the Presiding Officer, said they received the electoral materials including the special voting register, indelible ink and the Biometric Verification Devices and ballot boxes on time.
He said a total of 410 electorates were expected to vote at the polling centre.
The GNA observed that some voters were at the polling station as early 0545 hours as they waited patiently to vote.
The set-up of the polling station featured prominently the COVID-19 prevention as all electorates were made to wash their hands, and wear facemasks.
A total of 17,029,971 voters are expected to vote in the 2020 General Election to choose one of the 12 presidential candidates and Members of Parliament to represent Ghana’s 275 constituencies.
These special voters, including members of the security services, journalists and staff of the Electoral Commission, will be voting at selected areas in all 275 constituencies.
Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, told the media on Monday that all the necessary logistics have been deployed in sufficient quantities to the various constituencies.
She added that all election officials have been adequately prepared and stand in readiness to deliver a credible election.
“The special voting exercise will take place at selected locations in all 275 constituencies on the 1st of December 2020. All is set for the special voting. Our officers have been recruited and trained and stand in readiness to deliver a free, seamless, peaceful and orderly process. All materials have been distributed in sufficient quantities and this included the COVID-19 materials, stringent COVID-19 protocols will be put in place and observed. The Biometric Verification Devices have been prepared and deployed.”
Madam Jean Mensa said the commission expects a nearly-perfect voter turnout for today’s exercise.
“As a commission, we expect a near 100-perfect turnout, and we are confident that the outcomes will be peaceful credible orderly seamless and transparent,” she added.
The exercise will start from 0700hours and close at 1700 hours.
The prospective early voters are personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, National Intelligence Bureau, National Security, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and Information Services Department.
The rest are personnel of the National Ambulance Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Prisons Service, Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Police Service and National Media Commission.
The Greater Accra Region has 54 centres, the highest, followed by Ashanti Region, 48, Eastern Region, 34, Central Region 26, Volta Region 21.
The Rest are: Western Region, 19, Northern Region, 18, Upper East Region, 16, Bono Region, 13, Bono East Region 13, Upper West Region 12, Western North Region, nine, Oti Region, eight, Ahafo Region, seven, Savannah Region, seven, and North East Region, six.
A total of 17,029,971 valid voters are expected to vote in the 2020 general elections to choose one of the 12 presidential candidates and Members of Parliament to represent Ghana’s 275 constituencies.
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