TY - JOUR
T1 - How Electoral Integrity Matters in an Era of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
T2 - Experience from Ghana’s Eighth General Election
AU - Debrah, Emmanuel
AU - Owusu-Mensah, Isaac
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 South African Association of Political Studies.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - This article examined whether, in the pandemic, the conduct of Ghana’s 2020 general elections conformed to acceptable international standards or not? Analysing data drawn from 120 respondents based on face-to-face and telephone interviews, the study established that the measures for pre-election and polling day activities guaranteed the integrity of the elections. The electoral laws and system, the mechanics for voter registration, polling, and balloting were fair, transparent, and inclusive. The fair application of the electoral laws, openness, and stakeholders’ active participation in the electoral process obviated fraud. Both domestic and international observers validated the election result declared by the EC because the processes satisfied the standards for free and fair elections even though Ghanaian diasporas were disenfranchised, and a few administrative and technical challenges occurred. Hence, electoral reform targeting efficient management, enlargement of the franchise to capture diasporas’ votes, and an electoral system that supports proportional representation albeit a possibility of proliferation of parties, would improve electoral integrity for deepening democratic development.
AB - This article examined whether, in the pandemic, the conduct of Ghana’s 2020 general elections conformed to acceptable international standards or not? Analysing data drawn from 120 respondents based on face-to-face and telephone interviews, the study established that the measures for pre-election and polling day activities guaranteed the integrity of the elections. The electoral laws and system, the mechanics for voter registration, polling, and balloting were fair, transparent, and inclusive. The fair application of the electoral laws, openness, and stakeholders’ active participation in the electoral process obviated fraud. Both domestic and international observers validated the election result declared by the EC because the processes satisfied the standards for free and fair elections even though Ghanaian diasporas were disenfranchised, and a few administrative and technical challenges occurred. Hence, electoral reform targeting efficient management, enlargement of the franchise to capture diasporas’ votes, and an electoral system that supports proportional representation albeit a possibility of proliferation of parties, would improve electoral integrity for deepening democratic development.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160722120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02589346.2023.2215027
DO - 10.1080/02589346.2023.2215027
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85160722120
SN - 0258-9346
VL - 50
SP - 137
EP - 158
JO - Politikon
JF - Politikon
IS - 2
ER -