Electoral Commission sets October 26 deadline for proxy vote request

The Electoral Commission (EC) is making the provision for proxy voting and transfer of votes in the December 2012 general elections, the first national elections to be conducted with a Biometric Voters’ Register.

Proxy voting is a process whereby an eligible voter assigns or delegates someone to vote on his or behalf when he or she for some reason(s) is unable to be present for such an exercise

However, eligible voters who wish to assign others to vote for them or transfer their votes to other electoral areas have to notify the EC forty-two days clear days to an impending poll instead of the 21 days.

Mr Hubert Akumiah, Director of ICT of the EC, who disclosed this at a two-day election reporting workshop for the Parliamentary Press Corps at Ho over the weekend, said this would give the Commission adequate time to make provisions for such request.

He said the process of providing for proxy and transfers of votes in the December elections was legally backed by Public Elections Regulations, 2012, (CI75).

The workshop, which was sponsored by the European Union (EU), was aimed at building the capacity of the legislative press detail to report effectively and accurately on elections.

It was on the theme, “The Role of the Parliamentary Reporter in the 2012 General Elections.”

Mr Akumiah said voters who wanted to make such request of the EC had until October 26, 2012 to notify the Commission of their intent and that an application at a date other than that set by the EC would not be granted.

He explained that when a voter assigned a proxy, that individual’s data is retrieved, reviewed and verified for the proxy to vote, after which the proxy would go to his own polling station to cast his own individual vote.

Source: GNA