He said the devastation caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) required actors in the political space to work closely with public health officials, security and governance experts “to carefully consider the health, public safety, security risks, democratic and constitutional imperatives and implications of the decision to go ahead with the elections.”

Prof. Gyampo made the call in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a global scare and brought businesses and other activities to a standstill.

In Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo imposed restrictions on all forms of public gatherings, including political activities, funerals, service in churches and mosques.

Following those restrictions, the Electoral Commission (EC) has put on hold its processes to compile a new voters register for the elections.

Political parties have also suspended their activities and internal preparations towards the 2020 elections.

With the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 increasing by the day, there are concerns that the development could affect the conduct of this year’s elections.

Postponement

In that regard, Prof. Gyampo said the elections risked being postponed because of the pandemic, but stressed that dealing with such a situation required deeper engagements by the key actors.

He said even if the stakeholders agreed to go ahead with the elections, it would require putting in place drastic measures to allay the fears of the electorate about getting infected in the voting process.

He noted that anything short of that could affect voter turnout due to the fear of infection, a situation that might compromise the legitimacy of the elections and acceptability of its outcomes.

“Given the timing of COVID-19 on the political calendar of Ghana, there is no longer the need for protracted debate as to whether we need a new voters register or not. The EC must work with its key stakeholders to decide on the modalities to carry out its intention in the wake of the pandemic.

“On the other hand, if COVID-19 constitutes enough force majeure that makes a compelling case for abandoning the intention to compile a new register, the EC must quickly think through a contingency plan that re-psyches public confidence in the old register which has been bastardised by previous utterances,” he suggested.

“The EC, political parties, NCCE, civil society and all the agencies of civic and political socialisation and education may be required to fashion a novel educational drive that prepares the citizenry for the elections and enjoins them to be calm and very cautious in walking the tightrope of exercising their franchise without necessarily spreading or contracting the COVID-19,” he said.

Special voting

In view of the pandemic, Prof. Gyampo recommended that if there was the need to go ahead with the elections, the country ought to adopt a special voting module.

“Given our social distance protocols, the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) recommends special voting that allows citizens to remotely cast their votes through postal, internet and mobile technology to reduce the health hazards of voting in person,” he said.

He, however, observed that the challenge with that module for Ghana was that it looked non-feasible because of the country’s logistical constraints.

“The adoption of alternative methods for voting would require swift public education. Unfortunately, ‘common public education’ and reception to public learning are quite problematic in Ghana. Indeed, recent evidence in enforcing basic partial lockdown rules and social distance protocols supports this assertion.”

Background

Articles 63 and 112 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana sets the timelines for holding Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

Article 63(2)(a) requires the presidential election to take place “…not earlier than four months nor later than a month before the term of office expires.”

Per Article 112 (4), parliamentary elections must be held ‘within thirty days before the expiration of a Session of Parliament.’

Furthermore, Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections have been held together since 1996, hence putting the time for organising both elections some time during the month of December 2020.