Prof. Kwaku Azar Asare, a governance fellow at CDD Ghana, has expressed serious concerns over the public circulation of cast ballots, as seen in recent instances during the ongoing special voting.
He warned that such actions undermine the integrity of the electoral process, raising significant alarms about the potential manipulation of votes.
This breach, Prof. Asare noted, not only violates the sanctity of the electoral system but also implies that certain voters—especially special voters, who should be held to a higher ethical standard—may be exploiting their voting choices for personal gain.
He asserted that this situation threatens the fairness and transparency of the election, calling for urgent scrutiny and accountability.
“The principle of the secret ballot enshrined in Article 49(1) ensures that voters can exercise their right to choose freely, safeguarding against undue influence, bribery, or vote-buying by making it impossible to verify how an individual cast their vote”.
Prof. Kwaku Azar Asare
Prof. Asare further called on the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate these breaches and impose penalties on the violators in order to deter any future misconduct, particularly on Saturday 7th December 2024, during the elections.
He emphasized that robust measures must be put in place to safeguard the integrity of the voting process.
One such measure, Prof. Asare suggested, could be the implementation of strict controls, such as banning the use of cameras in voting booths.
He asserted that this would serve as a practical and essential step to prevent the unauthorized sharing of ballots and ensure the confidentiality and fairness of the election.
Accordingly, Prof. Asare stressed that democracy is built on trust and the fundamental right to make free, uncoerced choices.
Any compromise to the secrecy of the ballot undermines these core principles and risks weakening the very foundation of democratic integrity.
He admonished that when voters’ choices are exposed or manipulated, it not only erodes public confidence in the electoral process but also jeopardizes the legitimacy of the entire system.
Prof. Asare asserted that protecting the confidentiality of votes is essential to maintaining a fair, transparent, and trustworthy democratic process.
Srem-Sai Highlights Personal Autonomy in Voting
Meanwhile, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, an astute lawyer, emphasized the significance of personal autonomy in a democratic society, particularly in the context of voting.
He highlighted that individuals are empowered to make their own decisions or express dissent freely, without external interference or the obligation to provide a reason for their choices.
Srem-Sai pointed out that the rights to vote and demonstrate share a fundamental similarity which is that an individual is not obligated to provide a justification for exercising either of these rights.
He emphasized that both rights are inherent freedoms, and one is free to vote or protest for any reason, without the need to explain or justify their actions.
“Of all the rights that our Constitution guarantees, two are the most fundamental. The two are (1) the right to demonstrate, and (2) the right to vote.
“The difference between the two rights is – while the right to demonstrate requires no personal qualification (eligibility criteria), to vote, one needs to be a citizen, be age 18 or older, and be not of unsound mind”.
Dr. Justice Srem-Sai
As such, Dr. Srem-Sai similarly noted that an individual has the right to vote for any reason, regardless of how trivial or personal the motivation may be.
He noted that this could include reasons such as being annoyed by certain individuals, feeling that the political landscape is full of inefficiencies, or even voting for seemingly petty or inconsequential reasons.
Srem-Sai emphasized that the essence of democratic rights lies in the freedom to make such decisions without needing to justify them to anyone.
He urged the public to make informed and responsible decisions when exercising their electoral rights in the upcoming elections on Saturday, December 7th.
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