The Electoral Commission (EC) has indicated that the proposed change in the date for general elections from December 7 to November may be considered but won’t be implemented this year.
During the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Monday, January 22, 2024, the EC introduced the suggestion of moving both Presidential and Parliamentary elections to November 7 and designating election days as national holidays.
The purpose of these proposals was to initiate discussions on potential improvements to the electoral process.
Advocating for an earlier election month, the EC emphasized that declaring election days as national holidays could enhance civic engagement and contribute to fostering a more robust democratic culture.
However, Eric Asare Bossman, the Deputy EC Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, highlighted the necessity for the proposal to undergo parliamentary scrutiny before implementation.
“So within the last few months, this is something the commission is going to trigger. That was agreed with the political parties, that in the event we cannot marshal the forces of IPAC to have it in November 2024, the commission should take steps to ensure that in 2028, we are going to have it in November.
“This must be clear, we were not talking about November 7. At the IPAC meeting, the decision was a day in November. So it can be the first Monday, a second Monday, a third Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Thursday,” Dr Bossman said in an interview with Joy News monitored by Puretvonline.com.