How Electoral Integrity Matters in an Era of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic

Experience from Ghana’s Eighth General Election

Bibliographic Data

ID6213622
AuthorsEmmanuel Debrah (0000-0002-0854-1392, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, corresponding author), Isaac Owusu-Mensah (0000-0002-7893-4474, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra)
Year2023
Volume50
Issue2
Pages137-158
Publication date2023-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitikon (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0258-9346 • E-ISSN: 1470-1014
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02589346.2023.2215027
OpenAlexW4378468823
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited46

This article examined whether, in the pandemic, the conduct of Ghana’s 2020 general elections conformed to acceptable international standards or not? Analysing data drawn from 120 respondents based on face-to-face and telephone interviews, the study established that the measures for pre-election and polling day activities guaranteed the integrity of the elections. The electoral laws and system, the mechanics for voter registration, polling, and balloting were fair, transparent, and inclusive. The fair application of the electoral laws, openness, and stakeholders’ active participation in the electoral process obviated fraud. Both domestic and international observers validated the election result declared by the EC because the processes satisfied the standards for free and fair elections even though Ghanaian diasporas were disenfranchised, and a few administrative and technical challenges occurred. Hence, electoral reform targeting efficient management, enlargement of the franchise to capture diasporas’ votes, and an electoral system that supports proportional representation albeit a possibility of proliferation of parties, would improve electoral integrity for deepening democratic development

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Democracy · Election law · Face (sociological concept · General election · Openness to experience · Pandemic · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Polling · Proportional representation · Representation (politics · Sociology · Voter registration · Voting · Computer Science · Law · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Political Conflict and Governance · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Public Administration

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