The Special Voting exercise in New Juaben South constituency Eastern Region ended with confusion on Thursday following the discovery of two blank ballot sheets and discrepancies in figures recorded on the Biometric Verification Device (BVD).
The Gallaway voting center hosted two polling stations for the exercise.
At Polling Station “A,” 428 voters cast their ballots out of 508 registered voters.
However, issues arose at Polling Station “B,” where 427 voters participated out of 527 registered voters.
The confusion was triggered by the discovery of two blank ballot sheets in the ballot booklet and a discrepancy in the BVD count.
Francis Ayensu, the NDC agent and Director of Elections for New Juaben South raised concern that 427 voters were officially recorded as having cast their ballots, but the BVD indicated that 431 individuals had been verified to vote.
He resisted attempt to enter the 431 figures on the BVD as ballots issued to the voter instead of 427 plus the two spoilt ballots.
He forcefully expressed dissatisfaction with the discrepancies and announced his intention to file a petition over the matter.
“When filling statement of polls for the Presidential, section that should be fill before counting of ballot we realized that the CI that States that number of ballot issued to the voter, there was a mistake. It should have been 427 but instead it is written 431 upon argument we couldn’t arrive to a conclusion so I am raising objection for today’s poll Special voting”.
In contrast, the NPP agent, Kwabena Boateng, acknowledged the errors but downplayed their significance.
He suggested that the issue could be resolved during the manual counting of ballots when opened during December 7 polls.
“Indeed, after the poll, we are realized the EC showed to us that there were two blank sheets so so we all came into agreement that it should be treated as a spoilt ballot. After the poll we had 427 plus the two spoilt making 429 meanwhile the BVD also counted 431 meaning there is a 2 shortfall and the EC explained to us that there might be a problem meanwhile this is for special voting the ballot should not be opened so we should all come to the collation center when it is opened rhen may be we can resolve it there it is accepted and simple”.
The Electoral Commission declined to comment on the situation.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
