The Danquah Institute has announced plans to hold a two-day national conference in February, next year, to dilate on the prospects of Ghana going electronic voting in future elections. The purpose of the national conference, according to a statement by the institute signed by its Head of research, Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, will also be to deepen national debates and sustainability of Ghana’s young democracy. “The Institute deems such a major national conference particularly necessary because of Ghana’s volatile and charged partisan political environment. It is extremely important that we have a trusted election process, where elections will be regarded as fair, even by the losing side. The purpose of the 2010 national conference will be to interrogate deeper the issues and concerns about e-voting. If India, with more illiterates than the entire population of Ghana, with 714 million registered voters, 828,000 polling stations, with many in areas with no electricity, could deploy one million Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for an election with more than 100 political parties and not register any notable voice of protest, then Ghana should not shy away from examining the viability of an electronic electoral system.” Ahead of the February National Conference however, the Danquah Institute says it will next week, Monday, December 7, 2009, hold a press conference at the Ghana International Press Centre to announce and explain to the public the need and relevance of its two-day National Conference. The press conference will also highlight some of the debates and questions that have ensued immediately after the 2008 elections, on the need to improve on the credibility and security of Ghana’s voter’s register and ballots, as well as highlight some of the experts and participants from academia, political parties, government, civil society, industry and professionals from across the globe that will be engaged in the discourse at the National conference. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Ghana