Transfer of votes cannot take place in a by-election, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, has said.

“According to Article 112 of the Constitution, EC is enjoined to conduct a by-election within 30 days of being notified by the Clerk of Parliament about the vacancy.

The 30 days will not allow for the 42 days requirement for the transfer of votes,” he explained.

Dr Quaicoe was speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic on whether transfer of votes was allowed in a by-election.

By-elections

The EC’s Director of Electoral Services stated further that in all the by-elections held since Ghana returned to multiparty democracy, transfer of votes has not been allowed as those elections were held within 30 days of notification by Parliament.

Dr Quaicoe quoted Regulation 22 of the Constitutional Instrument 127 (Public Elections Regulations, 2020) to buttress his point that transfer of votes could not take place in a by-election as the mandated 30 days within which the poll should be held would not allow for the 42 days as required for transfer of votes.

He, therefore,  dismissed an earlier allegation by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the EC was plotting with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to insert the name of an unqualified candidate into the Assin-North voter’s register.

Dr Quiacoe said the commission would remain focused and expected the cooperation of the NDC.

He stated further that the commission was committed to conducting transparent, peaceful and credible elections. 

Assin North

The EC on May 31, 2023 announced Tuesday, June 27, 2023, as the date for the Assin North Constituency by-election in the Central Region after it was notified by Parliament that the seat was vacant following the Supreme Court’s ruling that declared the election of the former Member of Paliament, James Gyakye Quayson, unconstitutional.

The court held that his election was null and void because at the time he filed to contest, he owed allegiance to another country contrary to the laws of Ghana.

SOURCE: GraphicOnline