Hundreds of security personnel, emergency service staff and Electoral Commission officials among others are taking part in the special voting exercise in 14 out of 16 regions.
The two other regions, Eastern and Western will have their special voting on Thursday, December 5, following a ballot paper mishap that has compelled the Electoral Commission to order a recall and a reprinting of ballot papers for the two regions.
According to reports by Joy News’ correspondents from various constituencies, the voting largely started on time at 7:00 am with initial queues at some centres.
However, as the day goes by, the queues have reduced as just a little over 130,000 voters are expected to cast their ballots.
In all, voting will take place in 328 centres nationwide, with 131,478 eligible voters representing 0.007% of the total voter population of 18.7 million.
The polls will run from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
In the Adentan constituency in the Greater Accra Region where 1,202 registered voters are expected to vote, voting commenced at 7:02 am with nearly 50 people already in a queue to cast their ballot.
In the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency also in Greater Accra, Joy News’ Kwaku Asante reported that voting was underway without any issues.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, actor John Dumelo, who was at the scene to observe the process told Kwaku Asante that he’s confident he’d get at least 60% of the votes in the special voting in Ayawaso West Wuogon.
The incumbent MP of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Lydia Alhassan was also at the centre to observe the exercise.
Missing names
At one of the polling centres in the Korle Klottey Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Joy News’ James Avedzi reported that two persons were turned away because their names were missing from the voter list.
The two, a journalist and a security officer say they had gone through the registration process hoping to cast their ballot today, only to be told their names were not on the voter list.
Joy News’ Upper West Regional Correspondent, Rafiq Sallam reports that the voting process at two centres in the wa Municipality has been calm and peaceful with over 2,800 people expected to cast their ballots in the entire region.
Also, at the James Town Police Station in the Odododiodio Constituency of the Greater Accra Region, Joy News’ Collins Frimpong reports that voting is ongoing smoothly, except that one voter’s name was not found in the register.
Late start
In the Offinso North constituency in the Ashanti Region, as of 9:00 am, voting had not started.According to the Electoral Commission officials at the centre, the voter’s register wasn’t among the materials brought to them on Sunday.
They had thus sent for the register from Kumasi to be able to start the exercise at the centre where 566 persons are expected to cast their vote.
In the Sunyani East Constituency in the Bono Region, 1,137 are expected to cast their votes at two polling centers at the Bono Regional Police Headquarters in Sunyani.
According to the Presiding Officer for Center A, Jona Seli, the exercise which started at 7:00 am has been smooth so far.
Joy News’ Upper East Regional Correspondent, Albert Sore, also reports that voting is ongoing smoothly across special voting centres in the Upper East region, where a total of 7,080 are expected to cast their ballots in the 15 constituencies of the region.
Source: Myjoyonline
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