The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has raised concerns about an emerging trend of voters taking photographs of their ballots in polling booths, warning that the practice could compromise the integrity of the December 7 elections.

According to CODEO’s final long-term pre-election survey, reports from over 200 observers deployed to monitor special voting exercises on December 2 and December 5 highlighted several cases where voters violated electoral regulations by photographing their ballots.

Speaking at a press conference to launch the group’s observer mission for the 2024 general elections, CODEO Co-Chair Mary Okpe Adeniyi described the practice as alarming.

“This is a worrying development that undermines the secrecy of the ballot and could affect the credibility of the polls,” she stated, urging Ghanaians to respect electoral rules to ensure a peaceful and credible process.

To safeguard the integrity of the elections, CODEO emphasized the importance of all eligible citizens following appropriate electoral procedures and exercising their franchise without violating regulations.

Political parties and candidates were urged to refrain from voter inducement practices, while voters were encouraged to freely choose their leaders without coercion. Additionally, CODEO called on political leaders, candidates, security personnel, and supporters to promote calm and demonstrate restraint to avoid incidents that could disrupt the elections.

Meanwhile, the coalition announced that it is deploying over 4,000 observers across the country to monitor the presidential and parliamentary elections.

As part of its efforts to ensure transparency, CODEO revealed plans to carry out a parallel voter tabulation (PVT), an independent mechanism to verify the credibility of the official results declared by the Electoral Commission.

Rev. Dr Fred Degbey, a Co-Chair of CODEO, highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating that the PVT would serve as a vital test of the election’s credibility.