The Electoral Commission (EC) has indicated that preparations are underway to establish additional polling stations ahead of the 2024 elections.
The EC aims to reduce the number of voters per polling station to 500, with the intention of alleviating congestion at voting centers.
During an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) forum in Accra, Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the EC, highlighted the need for more polling stations to enhance the efficiency of the electoral process.
In addition to creating new polling stations, the EC has suggested the possibility of adjusting the closing time for voting from 5:00 pm to 3:00 pm during the upcoming 2024 general elections.
“In 2020, 70 percent of our polling centres had a voter threshold of 500 and below. This time we intend to ensure that all our polling station centers have a threshold of 500 voters and below. In the same vein, we will increase the number of our polling stations nationwide.
“We believe that this will go a long way to reduce the long queues that characterize our elections and allow for a smooth, seamless, hassle-free voting process. In 2020, it took voters not more than five minutes to cast their votes due to the introduction of this policy. Based on our 2020 experience and also feedback from several observer groups, we propose to close the polls at 3:00 pm,” Jean Mensa said.