The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) will deploy 350 of its field volunteers to observe the limited voter registration exercise to begin from Monday August 4 to Wednesday August 13, 2014, a date announced by the Electoral Commission.
The exercise begins on Monday August 4 and ends Wednesday, August 13, 2014 for persons who are eighteen years to have their names registered as voters as well as those above that age but do not have their names in the register due to other reasons.
CODEO observers will be deployed in all the 216 districts in Ghana and will conduct roaming observation at the designated registration centers, according to a release issued and signed by Dr. Franklin Oduro, Project Manager and Acting CODEO Coordinator.
“CODEO will as well observe the entire phases of the limited voter registration exercise, including the work of District Registration Review Committees (DRRC) and the exhibition of the provisional voters register,” the statement announced.
The statement said CODEO observation of the limited voter registration heralds its comprehensive project to observe the 2014 Local Government Elections. CODEO will observe all activities in the three phases of the electoral process – periods before the elections, the Election Day and the immediate post election environment.
“For the 2014 Local Government Elections, CODEO seeks to mobilize citizens to show interest in the elections and also to increase their participation in local government issues. Under the theme ‘Enhancing Citizens’ Participation in the 2014 Local Government Elections: Deepening Ghana’s Decentralization Process’, CODEO will work with other partners to mobilize and support marginalized groups, such as women, youth and persons with disability (PWD) to actively participate in the upcoming local government elections and as well facilitate their participation in local governance”.
“CODEO urges and encourages citizens who are eligible to vote in the elections to peacefully go out and register. CODEO further reminds political parties that local government elections remain non-partisan and therefore requests of them not engage in any practices that will undermine the credibility of the registration exercise.
“CODEO calls on the political parties and all other stakeholders to lend support to the Electoral Commission and to contribute to making the 2014 local level elections a success.
“CODEO comprehensive observation of the 2014 Local Government Elections is made possible with the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)”.