CODEO

Final Report on GHANA’S 2008 PRESIDENTIAL AND PALIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Under the auspices of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana),

the Coalition ofDomestic ElectionObservers (CODEO), once again,mounted a nationwide

observation of Ghana’s 2008 general elections. CODEO undertook a nine-month

pre-election observation from March to November 2008 deploying sixty (60) trained

pre-election observers to fifty-six (56) strategically selected constituencies across the

country. CODEO also deployed over 4,000 Election-Day observers for the December 7

presidential and parliamentary elections and the December 28 presidential runoff

election. On January 2, 2009, CODEO observed the residual presidential run-off at the

Tain constituency of the Brong Ahafo region. In addition to its traditional election

watch methodology, CODEO, for the first time, conducted parallel vote tabulation

(PVT) of the presidential election in the December 7 and December 28 elections.

CODEO’s 2008 election activities were funded by the United States Agency for

International Development (USAID). The National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the

USA provided technical assistance and funding to CODEO for the PVT exercise. The

British High Commission supported CODEO’s observation of the January 2, 2009 Tain

constituency presidential run-off.

Click on this link to download the report.

 

 

 

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CODEO Projects Very Close Election and Calls on All Parties to Remain Calm

1) CODEO observers reported a higher number of problems and lapses in the December 28 runoff election than the presidential and general elections of December 7. Two main factors account for that: the extremely high stakes nature of the presidential runoff election in which only one party could win; and the short time available for the Electoral Commission to organize the second round.

 

2) CODEO has analyzed information from the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) exercise gathered by its rapid response observers (RROs). Data from its representative random sample of more than 1,000 polling stations from 229 constituencies indicate that the election results are extremely close and the results are likely to be decided by less than a percentage point.

 

As with the presidential and general elections of December 7, CODEO observers reported many lapses in the voting process in the presidential runoff election of December 28,  including setting up and opening of polling stations, voting and vote counting.  However, the problems reported by CODEO observers do not fundamentally undermine the integrity of the overall process.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3) To ensure that all Ghanaians are able to exercise their right to vote and the results of the presidential election reflect the will of the people, the Electoral Commission must immediately conduct elections at all the polling stations in the Tain constituency in Brong Ahafo where voting did not take place on 28 December. Ideally, this must occur before the EC officially announces the results-since the country as a whole is one constituency for the presidential election.

 

4) The Electoral Commission must swiftly and decisively resolve the concerns raised by political contestants concerning the conduct of the presidential runoff election. Any recounts or re-collations should be conducted without delay.

 

5) CODEO calls upon the Electoral Commission to do its best to issue polling station results along with the overall results to ensure that the official results of this highly competitive election are accepted by all parties, their supporters as well as the general public. While the Electoral Commission is not required to take such a step, the release of polling stations results would significantly reduce post election tensions while reinforcing confidence in the Electoral Commission’s impartiality.

 

6) We call on Ghanaians, including leaders of political parties and their supporters, to continue to place confidence in the Electoral Commission.

 

7) Above all, we encourage the two presidential candidates and their respective political parties to accept the official results. We encourage the victors to be magnanimous. The president-elect when sworn in will be president of all Ghanaians during the coming four years and must therefore move quickly beyond the partisan politics of the electoral cycle to earn the support of all Ghanaians.

 

 

 

Signed:

Professor Miranda Greenstreet and Justice VCRAC Crabbe,

Joint Chairpersons

(For and on Behalf of the Advisory Board)

CODEO Secretariat, Sunday, December 29 2008, 1:30pm

 

For more information, please contact any of the following telephone numbers: 0243387094; 0244692301; 0243661350; 0244665065

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CODEO’S STATEMENT ON THE OFFICIAL 2008 PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS

As part of its overall effort to observe the 2008 elections, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) conducted a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) to help objectively and scientifically verify the accuracy of the result of the presidential election and to ensure that the official results announced by the Electoral Commission truly reflect the will of the Ghanaian people. The PVT is an advanced methodology used to monitor elections. It has been used successfully around the world to promote electoral integrity and help defend the rights of citizens to vote. The first PVT was conducted in the Philippines in 1986. In Africa, the PVT methodology has been successfully used in Madagascar, Malawi, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

Full Statement

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CODEO Presents Preliminary Findings on 2008 Election

CODEO released its preliminary findings of its observation of the 2008 Elections. These findings reflect the reports filed by 99% of CODEO’s 1070 Rapid Response observers, as well as observation reports and incidents filed by over 3000 Regular Observers, Constituency Supervisors and Regional Coordinators.

CODEO is in a position to conclude that, in spite of the difficulties encountered in the pre-election period and on election day (including the minor voting irregularities), the conduct of the 2008 elections up to the end of voting and counting of votes has generally been peaceful, free, fair and transparent…

Download the Statement

For more information contact:

Theodore Dzeble
CODEO Public Affairs Coordinator
+233 (0)244215736
press@codeogh.org

Accra, Ghana, 8 December 2008

Press Release 2008, CODEO, election, Ghana, preliminary findings

CODEO, Election 2008 Ghana: End Of Day Situational Statement

Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary Elections held on Sunday, December 7 2008 CODEO Polling Day Observation: Situational (End of Voting) Report Released on Sunday, December 7 2008 at 9:00pm.

Full Statement

 

Press Release 2008, Add new tag, CODEO, Ghana, Situational

CODEO, Election 2008 Ghana: Mid-Day Situational Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Theodore Dzeble
CODEO Public Affairs Coordinator
+233 (0)244215736
press@codeogh.org

Accra, Ghana, 7 December 2008

CODEO Polling Day Observation: Situational (Mid-Day) Report

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) had deployed approximately 4,000 non-partisan local observers throughout the country. This mid-day situational report is based on reports CODEO had received from Rapid Response Reporters located at nearly 1,000 polling stations in all of Ghana’s 230 constituencies. These observers are deployed  to a representative random sample of polling stations across the country.

At the time of set up (opening), reports from observers suggest relatively few problems at the polling stations.

Nearly all polling stations were set up so that voters could mark their ballots in secret; were accessible to persons with disabilities and the elderly; and ballot boxes were shown to be empty, sealed and placed in public view.

At the time of set-up, some polling stations lacked uniformed security personnel.  One in ten polling stations nationally reported no uniformed security personnel during set-up.

NDC and NPP had polling agents at nearly every polling station at the time of open. CPP had polling agents at approximately half of the polling stations. All the other presidential candidates were able to field polling agents at some polling stations.

Seventeen rapid response observers reported initially being denied access to polling stations despite being accredited. However, ultimately all rapid response observers were permitted to observe.

A vast majority of polling stations reported having all of the materials.

Nearly a third of polling stations reported opening late. This problem was more prevalent in Upper East region.

While the elections appear to have been generally peaceful so far, reports have been received from a few polling stations at which there was violence or disturbances. CODEO has informed both the Electoral Commission and the Police of these incidents.

CODEO is continuing to receive reports from its network of nationally deployed observers and will continue to release updated reports.

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Press Release 2008, CODEO, election, Ghana, mid-day

CODEO Will Verify Accuracy of Official Election Results: Deploys Largest Number of Observers for 2008 Ghana Elections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Theodore Dzeble
CODEO Public Affairs Coordinator
+233 (0)244215736
press@codeogh.org

Accra, Ghana, 6 December 2008

CODEO WILL VERIFY ACCURACY OF OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS: DEPLOYS LARGEST NUMBER OF OBSERVERS FOR 2008 GHANA ELECTIONS

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) will verify the accuracy of the official results of the 2008 presidential election. Using a methodology called Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT), CODEO will independently collect official vote counts from a representative random sample of more than 1,000 polling stations located in all Ghana’s 230 constituencies.

Taking advantage of the latest technology, CODEO observers will send their reports using coded text messages directly to a database.

Overall, 4,000 non-partisan, highly-trained CODEO observers will be deployed across Ghana on election day.

This will be by far the largest observation effort for the 2008 Ghana election

Parallel Voting Tabulation is a recognized methodology for verifying election results, and is used around the world to promote greater electoral integrity.  It is the first time that Parallel Vote Tabulation has been used in Ghana.

Professor Miranda Greenstreet, CODEO Co-Chair, states, “The independent verification by non-partisan CODEO observers will give political contestants and the public greater confidence that the official results of this highly contested presidential election accurately reflect the will of the Ghanaian people.”

In Kenya, the absence of a PVT and the resulting lack of credible independent information about the presidential results contributed to the post election violence.

CODEO has observed all aspects of the pre-election period and has issued regular reports on the electoral process, including voter registration, the party primaries, incidences of voter intimidation and violence, and the conduct of the campaign.

“CODEO is confident that the pre-election period laid the ground for peaceful and credible elections. Thousands of committed non-partisan CODEO observers will further encourage voters to go to the polls in large numbers to exercise their right to vote.” says Professor Greenstreet.

CODEO calls on all political parties and their supporters to respect the peace and the electoral process.

CODEO is comprised of 34 civil society professional and religious organizations. It was formed in May 2000 by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) with the sole purpose of recruiting, training and deploying local observers for general elections in Ghana.

CODEO has observed the 2000 general election, the 2000 presidential run-off election, the 2004 general elections as well as numerous by-elections.  More information is available at http://codeogh.org.

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