EC counters ‘misinformation’ on guarantor system for registration

The Electoral Commission has urged the public to ignore a viral audio clip with misleading information on the guarantor system currently being used for the voter registration exercise. It cautioned that it is an electoral offence for an individual to guarantee for more than 10 applicants.

The EC also warned that its “system is capable of picking guarantors who guarantee for more than 10 applicants.” In addition, it said there was no algorithm involved in the process, among others. “The system is not based on ‘Algorithm Maths’ as it is being alleged.

Neither does the system have a vault called non-verifiable names. These terms are alien and completely unknown to the Electoral commission’s systems.” It further urged the public to refer to its news portals for “credible information regarding the registration process.”

The guarantor system is under the spotlight because of the limitations on eligible identification documents. The Public Election (Amendment) regulation, 2020 (C.I. 126) amended C.I 91 changed the current identification requirements for registering to vote. Aside from the

National Identification Card (Ghana Card) or the Ghana passport being acceptable documents for registering onto the voters’ register, two persons who have already been captured on the new register can vouch for others to register.

Guarantor system usage over the years

In 2014, 928,540 persons were registered by the commission of which 82.2 percent used the guarantor system. In 2016, 1,046,067 persons were registered, of which 92.5 percent used guarantors. For the continuous

registration in 2016, 37,929 persons were registered and of this number 93.1 percent used guarantors. For the referendum in 2018, 47,852 persons were registered by the commission of which 99.5 percent used guarantors. During the limited registration in 2019, 1,211,395 persons were captured by the EC of which 95.2 percent of used guarantors.