VZCZCXRO1180
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #1466 3191336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141336Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7259
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS ACCRA 001466 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GH
SUBJECT: EC: PREPARATIONS FOR ELECTION CONTINUE, VOTER 
ROLLS GETTING CLEANER 
 
 ¶1. (U)  Summary.  The Chairman of Ghana's Electoral 
Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, told a November 13 
meeting of the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) that 
progress was being made in cleaning the voter rolls, with 
nearly 350,000 names deleted in an on-going program. 
Afari-Gyan told the IPAC members that meetings with 
parliamentary candidates and training of party polling agents 
would happen in November. A new look ballot form was 
unveiled, and voters will now get a full finger dipped in 
indelible ink to reduce the possibility of double voting 
opportunities. Party reps and the EC agreed on an additional 
step to reduce ballot box tampering. 
 
2 (U)  Chairman Afari-Gyan began the session by saying that 
the EC had removed 349,610 names from the voter rolls as a 
result of the on-going cleansing exercise.  The process was 
continuing, alphabetically (it was not asked what letter the 
EC was currently working on) and more names would be deleted. 
 Those deleted include 76,234 found to be double or multiple 
registrants.  During the recent limited voter registration 
exercise, 1,835,417 people had registered, or about 800,000 
more than expected.  The parties questioned what would happen 
to those incorrectly deleted. Afari-Gyan said that the EC was 
instructing polling officers to "give the benefit of the 
doubt" and not challenge any individual with a valid voter ID 
and whose name was on the voting list.  He noted that school 
head teachers were being asked to tell under age children who 
registered that they should not vote.  Afari-Gyan said that 
he was "quite certain we won't see those little kids in the 
queue on election day." This week the parties were to be 
given CDs containing the voter registration list, broken down 
by Ghana's ten regions. 
 
3.(U) Pre-election preparations continue, according to 
Afari-Gyan.    The printing of ballots is progressing well, 
according to the chairman.  He unveiled a new look ballot, 
designed to make it more difficult to a voter to accidentally 
put a thumbprint over the boxes for two candidates, leading 
to spoiled ballots.  Party polling agents will receive 
training during the week of November 21. The EC will meet 
with parliamentary candidates during November 17-25 in order 
to review election rules and procedures. The EC has held IPAC 
meetings at the regional level. In a change from previous 
years, the EC will require voters to dip their entire finger 
into India Ink to identify that they have voted and to 
discourage efforts at double voting. A representative of the 
opposition National Democratic Congress expressed concerns 
about possible election day ballot box swapping. Afari-Gyan 
agreed to allow the parties to put their own seals on the 
boxes, to allow for identification. (Note:  The EC also seals 
the boxes, each with a unique serial number). 
 
4 (SBU) Comment. Afari-Gyan's announcement of the removal of 
350,000 names from the voter rolls elicited limited 
questioning from the party representatives--such as who the 
people were, a breakdown by region, or more details about the 
methodology used by the EC. Diplomats attending IPAC meetings 
are not, by convention, allowed to ask questions. An observer 
is therefore sometimes left to wonder why party 
representatives hold some issues to be more important than 
others. End Comment. 
TEITELBAUM