Ghana’s Electoral Commission is allegedly considering changing the country’s election date from December 7 to November 7.
This offer was made by the Commission’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Monday, January 22, according to graphic.gh.
As part of the plan, the Electoral Commission proposed that election day be proclaimed a national holiday.
In explaining her idea, Jean Mensa underlined that making election day a public holiday might increase civic involvement and contribute to the development of a stronger democratic society.
This initiative follows a recent request by the Seventh Day Adventist Church to shift the election date for religious reasons.
The church petitioned the Attorney-General’s office to sponsor a measure altering the election day, citing Saturday, December 7, 2024, as a day set aside for divine worship.
They offered the first or second Tuesday of November as an alternative, with the goal of creating a more inclusive democratic process that respects all citizens’ voting rights.
Due to the nature of the measure, the church’s leadership recommended that it be supported by the Office of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General (Executive).
In their statement, they said, “It is the considered view of the Church that this bill should be sponsored by the Office of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General (Executive) because of its nature. Hence, the request for this meeting with the Honourable Minister in that regard.”
The broad support for moving the election to November shows that doing so would give enough time to complete transitional procedures, especially if the government changes hands from one party to another.
This schedule is consistent with the 1992 Constitution’s need for the transfer of political power by January 7.