The Dilemma of a Voter; To Risk or Not

 

The thought of participating in an electoral process is exciting because it offers the rare opportunity to decide who becomes the next president or Member of Parliament. The voting rights give inalienable rights to demonstrate patriotism and love for the country. It also tasks us to question or challenge how the country is administered and change or maintain it.

The former American President, Barack Obamaably posited, “The struggle for the Voting Rights Act taught us that people who love this country can change it. Don't give away your power - go vote”.

 

This explains the power, a person who is eligible, wields in a democratic country. Disenfranchising them based on a hurriedly arranged mechanism or violence defeats the purpose of elections and democracy.

 

The voting process is supposed to be peaceful and a happy experience, however, the build up to elections in this country keeps getting scarier every electoral year. The 2019 shooting incident at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election casts a gloomy picture about how eligible citizens were disenfranchised due to violence. This situation culminated to an all-time low turnout at the various polling stations. Of course, there were other previous elections marred by violence and it had the same implications.

                           

This year’s electoral process has started and already, the atmosphere presents an uneasy feeling about the safety of electorates as the major political parties, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), continue to counter battle over the voters register.

 

The Electoral Commission (EC) has also maintained to compile a new voters register under a strict timeline with the use of the Passport, National Identification Card or two Registered Guarantors, doubting the credibility of the existing voter register, but these decisions are being challenged at the court by the NDC.

 

The rather polarized political arena presented by these instances, have raised concerns about voter turnout and possible violence, bearing in mind the recent ugly development at Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

 

Additionally, the heavy security presence at the premises of the EC, during the recently held Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting presented a gloomy and doomy ambience of imminent violence. It is never a remarkable sight to view as a young voter because it is intimidating and fearful. What is themed to be peaceful and exciting should not be primed for doom. This is not good!

 

There is no doubt that the EC must ensure that as many people, who are eligible, get to exercise their franchise but if the actions and decisions of the commission rather frustrate eligible voters for low turnout, it annuls its mandate and calls into question the competencies of the commissioners.

 

The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has reiterated in a statement that if the impasse is not resolved or without alternative options for handling the crisis over the compilation of a new register, the country ran the risk of recording one of the lowest turn-outs for both the voters registration exercise and the December election.

 

It further added that with the COVID-19 pandemic, “Even if the restrictions on movement and social gatherings are officially lifted, Ghanaians, for fear of contracting the COVID-9 virus, may be extremely cautious not to risk getting infected in the process of registering as a voter,”

 

As a young and an eligible electorate,it is very difficult to be faced with these dilemmas. Risking it all to contracting the COVID-19 virus to register; risking being disenfranchise if you are unable to secure National ID card or Passport or get two registered Guarantors; risking our lives in a heightened polarized country due to unfavorable or political decisions; or risking staying home for few to make decisions?

 

Predictably, the current situation, if nothing changes, is creating a perfect breeding ground for the fear of a young electorate to materialize.

 

Something different must be done!

 

By Joshua Quaye

quaye2000@gmail.com

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