Ballot boxes play a crucial role in all elections, and due to the competitive nature of elections, ballot boxes are placed in open space to allow transparency during the voting and counting processes.

However, the exercise of casting counting votes is expensive and tiresome. Knowing the number of ballot papers in a box by mere observation is impossible.

Tallying the number of voters on a sheet of paper and comparing the results among parties and the Electoral Commission can turn chaotic, especially the numbers do not add up.

In a move to help address such challenges, students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School have come up with a Smart Ballot Box.

This gives an indication of voting, and displays the total number of ballot papers in the box as well as prevents multiple voting.

How it works

The Smart ballot box has two compartments; the part that takes the paper from the voter and the box itself. The paper compartment has a paper roller made with some PVC pipes, a gear motor and a sensor to detect the voter’s closeness to the box. The paper compartment (rollers) is adjusted to take one paper at a time. This is done to avoid multiple voting.

When the voter is about 40cm to the ballot box, the paper compartment is activated to allow the voter to cast his ballot. A red light is shown to alert the voter that the system is ready.

When the voter places the paper on the space provided, the system will automatically take the paper from the voter and drop it into the box and count it as one (1) and display the number on a screen for public viewing. Subsequent votes will be counted and total votes displayed on the screen.

Head of the Robotics Club Solomon Nchor believes the project will solve challenges associated with voting processes in Ghana and the world at large.