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Presidential election | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 69.25% | |||||||||||||||||||
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All 275 seats in Parliament 138 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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Maps | ||||||||||||||||||||
Constitution |
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Africaportal Politicsportal |
General elections were held in Ghana on 7 December 2016 to elect a President and Members of Parliament. [1] They had originally been scheduled for 7 November 2016, [2] but the date was later rejected by Parliament. [1] Former foreign minister Nana Akufo-Addo of the opposition New Patriotic Party was elected President on his third attempt, defeating incumbent President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
The election results were announced on 9 December 2016 due to a delay of voting in two areas. At 19:51 local time, Mahama called Akufo-Addo to concede defeat. At 20:45, the Electoral Commission declared that Akufo-Addo had defeated Mahama in a single round. It was the first time in Ghana's history that a sitting president had been defeated for reelection.
The president is elected using the two-round system, whilst the 275 members of Parliament are elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting.
Eligible voters must be Ghanaian citizens aged 18 or over, although those declared insane are disenfranchised. Parliamentary candidates must be Ghanaian citizens at least 21 years old, and either be resident in their constituency or have lived there for at least five of the ten years prior to the election. [3]
Over 16 people filed with the election commission to run for president. However, 13 presidential candidates were disqualified due to incorrect filing procedures. The disqualified candidates included former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the president of the National Democratic Party. [4] There was some controversy due to allegations that the candidates were disqualified for political reasons. The Electoral Commission denied all accusations. After the disqualification, only four presidential candidates remained. However, the presidential candidate of the Progressive People's Party (PPP) Paa Kwesi Nduom took the EC to court over his disqualification. The court finally ruled in his favour, allowing him to join the race. [5] Two other candidates who were disqualified also followed suit, leading to there being seven candidates.
Ivor Greenstreet from the Convention People's Party was the first physically challenged candidate to contest a presidential election. [6]
Incumbent John Mahama was eligible for a second full term since he had ascended to the presidency with only six months remaining in the term of his predecessor and running mate, John Atta Mills. In Ghana, when a vice-president ascends to the presidency with more than half of a presidential term remaining, he is only allowed to run for a single full term in his own right. If more than half of the term has expired, the vice-president is eligible for two full terms. [14]
A total of 1,144 candidates contested the 275 seats in Parliament. The NDC and NPP both ran full slates of 275 candidates, whilst the CPP (222 candidates) and PPP (163) were the only two other parties to run in over half the seats. The PNC nominated 64 candidates, the NDP 33, the APC 20, the GCPP 10, the UFP six and the DPP and UPP both had only one candidate. The other 74 candidates were independents. [15]
Poll source | Date | Sample size | Undecided | Mahama NDC | Akufo-Addo NPP | Nduom PPP | Greenstreet CPP | Other candidates | Notes |
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Restart International | 5 December 2016 | 2,000 | 54.7% | 43.7% | |||||
Ben Ephson | 28 November 2016 | N/A | 52.4% | 45.9% | 1.7% | 2% margin of error | |||
Ben Ephson | October 2016 | N/A | 50.8% | 47.5% | 1.7% | 2% margin of error | |||
Goodman AMC | August 2016 | 2,184 | N/A | 48% | 45% | 7% | 0% | 2.1% margin of error | |
Goodman AMC | June 2016 | 1,644 | N/A | 44% | 49% | 6% | 1% | 2.3% margin of error | |
Goodman AMC | April 2016 | 1,216 | N/A | 32% | 65% | 3% | 0% |
Candidate | Running mate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nana Akufo-Addo | Mahamudu Bawumia | New Patriotic Party | 5,755,758 | 53.72 | |
John Dramani Mahama | Kwesi Amissah-Arthur | National Democratic Congress | 4,771,188 | 44.53 | |
Paa Kwesi Nduom | Brigitte Dzogbenuku | Progressive People's Party | 106,092 | 0.99 | |
Ivor Greenstreet | Gabby Nsiah Nketiah | Convention People's Party | 25,552 | 0.24 | |
Edward Mahama | Emmanuel Anyidoho | People's National Convention | 22,298 | 0.21 | |
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings | Kojo Mensah Sosu | National Democratic Party | 16,935 | 0.16 | |
Jacob Osei Yeboah | Daniel Wilson Torto | Independent | 15,911 | 0.15 | |
Total | 10,713,734 | 100.00 | |||
Valid votes | 10,713,734 | 98.46 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 167,349 | 1.54 | |||
Total votes | 10,881,083 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 15,712,499 | 69.25 | |||
Source: Electoral Commission Ghana |
Region | ||||
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Nana Akufo-Addo NPP | John Dramani Mahama NDC | |||
Votes | % | Votes | % | |
Ashanti | 1,640,694 | 75.98 | 503,497 | 23.32 |
Brong-Ahafo | 531,147 | 53.87 | 422,789 | 44.91 |
Central | 496,668 | 53.22 | 405,262 | 43.43 |
Eastern | 674,240 | 63.30 | 379,675 | 35.65 |
Greater Accra | 1,062,157 | 52.42 | 946,048 | 46.69 |
Northern | 429,375 | 41.89 | 569,853 | 55.59 |
Upper East | 157,398 | 34.93 | 271,796 | 60.32 |
Upper West | 102,843 | 35.94 | 167,032 | 58.37 |
Volta | 135,077 | 17.38 | 629,398 | 80.97 |
Western | 526,159 | 52.38 | 455,838 | 45.38 |
Source: Electoral Commission Ghana |
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Patriotic Party | 5,661,248 | 52.48 | 169 | +47 | |
National Democratic Congress | 4,560,491 | 42.28 | 106 | –42 | |
Progressive People's Party | 186,741 | 1.73 | 0 | 0 | |
Convention People's Party | 69,346 | 0.64 | 0 | –1 | |
People's National Convention | 42,236 | 0.39 | 0 | –1 | |
National Democratic Party | 19,450 | 0.18 | 0 | 0 | |
All People's Congress | 2,527 | 0.02 | 0 | New | |
Great Consolidated Popular Party | 1,368 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
United Front Party | 896 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
Democratic People's Party | 867 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
United Progressive Party | 430 | 0.00 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 241,884 | 2.24 | 0 | –3 | |
Total | 10,787,484 | 100.00 | 275 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 10,787,484 | 98.98 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 111,137 | 1.02 | |||
Total votes | 10,898,621 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 15,639,690 | 69.69 | |||
Source: Election Passport |
Politics of Ghana takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president of Ghana is both head of state and head of government, and of a two party system. The seat of government is at Golden Jubilee House. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and Parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a centre-right and liberal-conservative political party in Ghana. Since the democratisation of Ghana in 1992, it has been one of the two dominant parties in Ghanaian politics, with its leading rival being the centre-left National Democratic Congress (NDC). John Kufuor of the NPP was President of Ghana from 2001 to 2009. At the elections held on 7 December 2004, the party won 129 out of 230 seats. The NPP candidate was Kufuor, who was re-elected as president with 52.75% of the vote. The New Patriotic Party symbol is the African elephant and the New Patriotic Party colours are red, white, and blue.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is a social democratic political party in Ghana, founded by Jerry Rawlings, who was Head of State in Ghana from 1981 to 1993. He became the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. Following the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), which ruled Ghana following the military coup d'état on 31 December 1981, there was pressure from the international community to restore democracy. The NDC was formed as the ruling party ahead of elections in 1992, in which Rawlings was elected president, and in 1996 Rawlings was re-elected as the NDC candidate. Rawlings' second term ended in 2001.
John Dramani Mahama is a Ghanaian politician who served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. He previously served as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and took office as president on 24 July 2012, following the death of his predecessor, John Evans Fiifi Attah Mills.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the president of Ghana since 2017. He previously served as Attorney General from 2001 to 2003 and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from the year 2003 to the year 2007 under the Kufuor-led administration.
General elections were held in Ghana on 7 December 2008. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo of the governing New Patriotic Party and John Atta Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress. Mills was certified as the victor by a margin of less than one percent, winning the presidency on his third attempt. It is to date the closest election in Ghanaian history.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) is the official body in Ghana responsible for all public elections. Made up of seven members and there are seven (7) functional departments at the Head Office. Each department is headed by a Director who is assisted by Unit Heads. The departments are:- Electoral services; Human Resource; Finance; Training; Administration; Research, Monitoring & Evaluation; Information Technology. its independence is guaranteed by the 1992 Ghana constitution. The current commission was established by the Electoral Commission Act (Act 451) of 1993. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan was the first substantive chairman of the commission in the Fourth Republic of Ghana, from 1993 to 2015. He was succeeded by Charlotte Osei as the first female chairman of the commission from 2015 to June 2018. Jean Adukwei Mensah succeeded Charlotte Osei in July 2018. On December 5, 2018, the Electoral commission chaired by Jean Adukwei Mensah reverted to the old logo showing the Coat of arms of Ghana and a ballot box showing the hand casting its votes, after the controversy over the new logo.
General elections were held in Ghana on Friday 7 December 2012 to elect a president and members of Parliament in 275 electoral constituencies. Owing to the breakdown of some biometric verification machines, some voters could not vote, and voting was extended to Saturday 8 December 2012. A run-off was scheduled for 28 December 2012 if no presidential candidate received an absolute majority of 50% plus one vote. Competing for presidency were incumbent president John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), his main challenger Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and six other candidates.
Akwasi Addai Odike is a Ghanaian businessman and politician.
Ivor Kobina Greenstreet (born 31 May 1966) is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He was the Presidential candidate for the Convention People's Party (CPP) in the 2020 Ghanaian general election.
Akua Donkor was a Ghanaian farmer and politician. She was the founder and leader of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
Samuel Abu Jinapor, is a Ghanaian lawyer and a politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and the Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency. In 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo appointed him as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Office of the President, at the age of 33, the youngest in the history of Ghana to occupy such a position. He is currently the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The Ghana Freedom Party is a party founded by Akua Donkor, a farmer.
The All People's Congress is a Ghanian political party formed as a breakaway from the People's National Convention (PNC).
General elections were held in Ghana on 7 December 2020. Incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was re-elected in the first round after securing a majority of the votes. Former President John Dramani Mahama announced that he would contest the results. At the Supreme Court, a petition challenging the result was filed on 30 December, and unanimously dismissed on 4 March 2021 for lack of merit.
Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker was an independent presidential candidate in Ghana.
The presidency of John Mahama began on 24 July 2012 and ended on 7 January 2017. John became the 4th President of the Ghanaian Fourth Republic after he succeeded John Atta Mills who died in office on 24 July 2012. Prior to that, he served as Vice-President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012.
Agyeman Badu Akosa is a Ghanaian pathologist, academic, politician and social commentator. He served as the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service from 2002 to 2006. He is a member of the Convention People's Party and is a well-known believer in the ideals of Kwame Nkrumah, founder of the CPP. He contested for the Party's presidential candidate ahead the 2008 General elections and lost to Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum. He is a professor of Pathology. He is an advocate on lifestyle issues.
General elections will be held in Ghana on 7 December 2024 to elect the president and members of Parliament. Incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo is term-limited and ineligible to run again.