LIVE: Ghana votes John Mahama as next president
Follow GSW's live coverage of Ghana's December 7, 2024, general elections, as over 18 million Ghanaians will vote across the country's 16 regions to determine the president and the 276 members of parliament (MPs) for the next four years.
LIVE UPDATES
This is the end of GSW’s live election coverage of Ghana’s December 7, 2024, election. Follow for more updates as we await the release of the certified results from the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
09:46 GMT: NPP candidate Bawumia concedes.
Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia says he has congratulated former President John Dramani Mahama for winning the general elections.
In his concession address on Sunday, December 8, Bawumia said he assured Mahama of full support in the transition process so that the government business would continue seamlessly.
Mahama also confirmed that the NPP presidential candidate called to congratulate him on his victory in an election he described as an “emphatic victory.”
The EC is yet to release official results.
09:36 GMT: The NDC says its candidate, John Mahama, has secured about 56% of the votes and has over 1.5 million more votes than NPP candidate Mahamudu Bawumia.
09:22 GMT: NDC calls on Bawumia to concede defeat.
08:34 GMT: Results continue to trickle in from the various constituencies pending announcement from the EC.
Provisional results from 34 out of the 276 constituencies, pending certified results from the EC, project NDC’s Mahama ahead of NPP’s Bawumia.
The results show Mahama leads with 50.63% against Bawumia’s 47.48%. Each candidate needs to secure 50% + 1 of the total votes cast to be declared winner of the results.
05:50: Official provisional presidential and parliamentary results trickle in.
The Electoral Commission has started publishing the certified results from polling stations nationwide.
These numbers indicate a big win with a wide margin for John Dramani Mahama of the NDC. The party's Member of Parliament candidates are also smashing it. So far, the NDC has 17 seats and the NPP 4 seats out of 276 constituencies.
05:35: Ghanaians are unrelenting as some sleep on bare floors, others still on their feet awaiting official presidential and parliamentary results.
05:20: Main opposition leader John Mahama captured in his 'strong room' crunching the numbers.
23:50: Police arrest 4 suspects in connection with a shooting incident at Awutu Senya East Constituency.
The Ghana Police Service has announced it has arrested 4 individuals connected to a shooting incident in the Central Region that claimed a life and injured one.
The Police added that an AK47 with 69 rounds of ammunition was retrieved from the suspects. So far, 2 deaths have been recorded throughout Ghana's 2024 elections.
The other death occurred earlier in the day in the Northern Region after a shootout at Nyankpala.
22:55: EC opens National Collation Centre to the media
The National Collation Centre has been opened to the media for the first time under the Fourth Republic.
Fax machines for each of the 16 regions have been set up at the centre, ready to receive the transmission of regional collated results. Officials state that this is a move to enhance transparency.
“Granting media access to the centre will allow all Ghanaians to participate in the collation of the presidential results to erase all doubts," Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey said.
On the other hand, the commission has warned that the Centre is a restricted area hence no need for party members, agents or unaccredited persons to troop in.
22:00: An unidentified party agent attacked for attempting to smuggle unsealed ballot boxes from Ablekuma West, a constituency in the Greater Accra Region to a collation centre.
21:35: Early results project main opposition leader John Mahama as the winner.
Current polling station results show John Mahama (NDC) leading in 31 constituencies and Mahamudu Bawumia (NPP) leading in 14 constituencies. Mahama has 45,872 votes (51.25%), while Bawumia has 38.11%.
The NDC has, however, cautioned its supporters from celebrating until official results are announced.
20:10: Opposition party, NDC supporters jubilate over 'victory'
19:55: All polling stations closed
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has announced the closure of all polling stations and the halting of all voting activities. The commission told the media during its 3rd press briefing for the day that 95% of polling stations closed at exactly 17:00 GMT.
https://x.com/tv3_ghana/status/1865476346350109087
19:35: Parts of Accra experience blackouts during vote counting.
"We have given money out to our officers to hire generators at each of the collation centres. Even in the event of the lights not coming on now, the standby generators will be used to complete the exercise," EC tells the media.
19:05: Voting continues at polling stations despite the official closing time.
Although polls have officially closed, voting is taking place at some polling stations where the voting process faced challenges such as logistics and malfunctions in biometric identification machines among others.
Also, the EC has indicated that electorates present at polling stations before the close of polls at 17:00 GMT will be allowed to vote.
18:34: Electoral Commission clarifies issues surrounding validating stamp swaps
At the 16:00 GMT press briefing, Electoral Commission officials reported instances of validating stamp swaps at some voting centres, where presidential stamps were used for parliamentary ballots and vice versa. However, they assured that these actions do not invalidate the ballot papers.
17:21: Polls officially closed for 2024 elections
At exactly 17:00 GMT, polling ended across various voting centres in the country. Voters await the outcome of the elections which is likely to be announced within 72 hours by the Electoral Commission.
17:01: Political newcomer Nana Kwame Bediako claims sabotage
After casting his vote at the Korley Klottey Constituency, the New Force Party's presidential candidate, Nana Kwame Bediako, told journalists he felt his work and campaign were looked down upon, alleging sabotage in the ongoing elections.
16:22: The streets of Accra have remained empty for seven hours since the 2024 polls commenced.
With less than an hour to close the polls, the streets of Accra remain deserted. Many constituencies have reported unprecedentedly low numbers at polling stations even after seven hours.
Ghana has recorded one of the highest voter turnouts in Africa since 1996. In 2020, the percentage stood at 79%. The reverse seems to be the case this time.
15:46: Ghana Police addresses the arrest of four persons concerning the shooting incident leading to the death of an individual.
15:43: President Akufo-Addo urges Ghanaians to go out and cast their votes.
15:24: Shooting incident recorded in Obuasi, Ashanti Region, involving military officers.
A shooting incident was recorded in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region after members of the opposition party NDC tried to prevent military personnel from entering a polling station.
The military officers, in retaliation, fired warning shots, causing apprehension among voters.
In a press statement released yesterday by the Ghana Armed Forces, it was indicated that no military personnel will be stationed at polling stations, with the primary responsibility for election security in the hands of the Ghana Police Service.
15:14: The Electoral Commission, in a second briefing to the press, addresses several voting challenges across the various polling stations.
15:08: Police arrest four suspects concerning a shooting incident that led to the death of an individual at a polling station in Nyankpala in the Northern Region.
14:22: Voting at a polling station in Ablekuma, Greater Accra, interrupted by heavy rains—several electoral materials become soaking wet.
14:05: President Akufo-Addo expresses satisfaction with voting conduct so far.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed satisfaction at the peaceful way the general election is being conducted.
“I have monitored all the reports from across the country, and everything seems to be going well.
“We thank God for that,” he told reporters after casting his ballot at the Rock of Ages Polling Station in the Abuakwa-South Constituency of the Eastern Region on Saturday.
President Akufo-Addo won Ghana’s last two elections in 2016 and 2020 against the former president and 2024 presidential candidate of the NDC, John Mahama.
14:00 GMT: Voting continues with only 3 hours to go before polls close.
About 3 hours to go before polls officially close, and voting is still ongoing at various polling stations. The two main presidential candidates—Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP and John Mahama of the NDC—have all cast their ballots at their respective polling stations. The electoral process has been relatively peaceful; a few security issues have been reported in some polling stations, with a couple of individuals arrested for malpractice.
13:42 GMT: Political newcomer and independent presidential candidate Nana Kwame Bediako casts his vote at a polling station in the Korley Klottey constituency, Greater Accra Region.
13:38 GMT: Outgoing president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo casts his vote in Kyebi, eastern Ghana.
13:03 GMT: Electorates at the Ankwa Dobro, Nsawam-Adoagyiri polling station in the Eastern Region tell local reporters that no security officials have been stationed at the voting centre since polls opened at 07:00 GMT.
12:57 GMT: An individual detained by the police for double voting at a polling station in the Western Region.
12:45 GMT: Police arrest an individual for possession of a pistol at a polling station in the Okaikwei South constituency, Accra.
12:31 GMT: John Mahama, presidential candidate of Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), casts his vote at a polling station in Bole, northern Ghana.
12:23 GMT: Ruler of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, casts his vote at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.
12:05 GMT: EC official apprehended by police after allegedly distributing about 15 ballot papers to voters that omitted the first presidential candidate at a polling station.
The suspect, identified as Dery Joseph, is under investigation for distributing approximately 15 ballot papers at the Ampesika-Bayere Polling Station in the Kintampo South Constituency in the Bono East Region that allegedly omitted the name of the first presidential candidate.
The police confirmed the arrest in a statement and assured that investigations were ongoing to ascertain the motive behind the act.
"We are committed to ensuring a free, fair and transparent election process and will address any instances of malpractice swiftly," the statement added.
12:00 GMT: 5 hours after polls opened, voting continues to take place at various polling stations.
11:34 GMT: Head of the Electoral Commission says it is not involved in security arrangements.
In an emergency address to the press, the EC chair, Jean Mensa stated that the body is not involved in any security arrangements that have been made in the ongoing election after she was asked about the security challenges in some polling stations.
11:05 GMT: After its earlier decision to restrict access to the collation centres, the EC chairperson Jean Mensa says media will now be granted access to all centres.
The EC chair stated that since the beginning of the 1992 constitution, the media has only been granted access to collation centres during the declaration of results. She added that for the first time, media will be granted access to all centres across the country.
10:30 GMT: Scenes outside the EC headquarters—security checkpoints, armed personnel stationed outside.
10:19 GMT: The Electoral Commission speaks to the press about the voting process at its headquarters in Accra.
10:10 GMT: Security gets involved as a heated exchange ensues after ruling NPP party officials accuse opposition NDC of setting up cameras at polling stations in the Tema East constituency, in the Greater Accra Region. The constituency hosts 12 polling stations.
10:06 GMT: Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who is part of the election observers, speaks to the press about the voting process so far.
10:01 GMT: A young voter detained for possessing 76 ballot papers at a polling station in the Ashanti region.
09:49 GMT: Members of the opposition NDC accuse EC officials of beginning the voting process before filling the Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results Form at a polling station in Kasoa, central region.
09:47 GMT: Presidential candidate for the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Christian Andrews, cast his vote at a polling station in Accra.
09:33 GMT: Some early voters cast their ballots as voting continues to take place smoothly across various polling stations.
09:12 GMT: Vice president and presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, casts his vote at a polling station in the northern region.
09:00 GMT: Voters share experience and expectations after casting votes.
08:27 GMT: Vice presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh casts his vote in the Ashanti Region.
08:06 GMT: Voting takes place at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission in Accra.
07:48 GMT: Voting at some polling stations is yet to start due to delayed electoral materials and malfunctions with the biometric voting machine.
07:37 GMT: Voters begin to cast ballots in some polling stations.
07:25 GMT: Polls open as electorates wait in line to cast their votes at a polling station in Jamestown, Accra.
06:55 GMT: Ghanaians share concerns over economic situation.
Many Ghanaians are united by concerns over the cost of living. Conversations are dominated by complaints about soaring inflation, unemployment, and business closures, with a strong expectation that the new government will tackle these pressing issues.
06:51 GMT: Presidential candidate John Mahama on his plan to reset Ghana's economy.
John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s former president and presidential candidate of the main opposition party, the NDC, pledged a "total reset" of the country’s economy, which he described as being in crisis.
"We've hit a dead end. Our economy is in crisis, and everything else has a linkage to the economy. Inflation is up. We have a depreciating currency, and our whole macroeconomic framework is unbalanced," he told Global South World.
Polls are expected to open at 07:00 GMT and close at 17:00 GMT across all polling stations in all 16 regions.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
History
The country returned to multi-party democracy in 1992 under former president Jerry John Rawlings through the 1992 constitution, which established the Fourth Republic.
Ghana holds its presidential and parliamentary elections every four years, as outlined in the 1992 Constitution. Although not required by law, both elections have been held on the same day since December 1996. All citizens aged 18 and above can register to vote.
Since the Fourth Republic was instituted, Ghana has held eight peaceful elections and seen seamless transitions—this will be the ninth.
Historically, voter turnout has been high, with 79% participation recorded in the December 2020 elections.
Voter Registration
According to Ghana's Electoral Commission, 18,774,159 voters are registered out of an estimated population of 35 million. All voters will cast their ballots at 40,975 polling stations spread across the 16 regions in Ghana.
Special voters
Over 130,000 voters, or 0.07% of the total registered electorate, have already cast their votes on December 2 in a special voting process. The special voters included electoral officers, security personnel, and media workers who will be on duty during election day.
Presidential candidates
Ghanaians will be choosing the sovereign leader from 12 candidates. These candidates include incumbent Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the main opposition leader and ex-President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who is contesting for the fourth time in the 4th republic.
On the candidature list is also a former trade minister, Alan Kojo Kyerematen, who broke away from the ruling NPP to become an independent. There is also the real estate magnate and political newcomer, Nana Kwame Bediako, who is running as an independent.
Other candidates include Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankuma of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the only female candidate. Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Party (APP), Christian Kwabena Andrews of Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Mohammed Frimpong of National Democratic Party (NDP), Daniel Augustus Lartey of Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Kofi Koranteng, an independent candidate, George Twum Barim-Adu, an independent candidate, and Akua Donkor.
Despite her recent passing, Akua Donkor remains on the ballot, with votes for her to be declared invalid by the Electoral Commission.
Electoral process
Ghana’s presidential elections use a two-round system: if no candidate secures a majority in the first round, a runoff is held between the top two candidates. Parliamentary seats are decided by whoever gets the most votes in each constituency.
Declaration of votes
Parliamentary results are announced immediately after counting at the constituency level, usually on the same day. Presidential results, however, are first announced at the 16 Regional Collation Centres before the final declaration at the Electoral Commission's National Headquarters, typically within 72 hours after polls close.
