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Registered | 17,027,941 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Presidential election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 78.89% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All 275 seats in the Parliament of Ghana 138 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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Maps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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. [1] Former President John Dramani Mahama announced that he would contest the results. [2] 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.
The NPP lost its majority in the parliament, winning the same number of seats as the opposition NDC, resulting in a hung parliament with a single independent (Andrew Asiamah Amoako) in the position of kingmaker, [3] [4] who later chose to support the NPP. [5]
The President of Ghana 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. [6] [7]
Eligible voters must be Ghanaian citizens who are at least 18 years old, 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. [8]
In February 2019, former president John Mahama was confirmed as the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress. [9] In December, incumbent president Nana Akufo-Addo announced that he intended to run for re-election as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate. [10] In June 2020, the NPP chose Akufo-Addo as its presidential candidate and Mahamudu Bawumia as its vice-presidential candidate. Mahama and Akufo-Addo previously ran against each other in both 2012 (with Mahama winning) and 2016 (with Akufo-Addo winning). [11]
All contesting political parties especially the NPP and NDC campaigned vigorously across the country despite fears that political activities such as rallies could increase the rate of spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic in Ghana. [12]
Constitution |
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Following the death of Jerry Rawlings, first president of the Fourth Republic on 12 November 2020, [13] most candidates decided to suspend their campaigns for a week out of respect to his memory. [14] [15]
At the close of the filing of nomination papers for the presidential election on 9 October 2020, seventeen persons had filed papers to stand for the elections. [16] One of those who filed their papers on 5 October 2020 was the incumbent president, Nana Akufo-Addo. [17] Each candidate was expected to pay a fee of GH¢100,000 to the Electoral Commission. [18] Akwasi Addai Odike of the United Progressive Party claimed that there was a conspiracy by the NPP and the Electoral Commission to prevent him from filing his nomination papers. This was promptly denied by the chairman of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu. [19] However, the NDC questioned why presidential candidates were filing nomination papers when the Electoral Commission has not finalised the new voter's register to be used for this election. [20] To the surprise of many[ who? ], Jacob Osei Yeboah disclosed on 6 October, when he was expected to file his nomination papers, that he would instead be the running mate of Asiedu Walker. [21]
^a – Disqualified by the Electoral Commission of Ghana
Following the vetting of their papers, the Electoral Commission announced the final list of presidential candidates on 19 October 2020. Five people had been disqualified from standing for the election as there were various problems with their nomination documents. These include IT issues with their forms and some had been forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service. Those disqualified include Kofi Koranteng and Marricke Kofi Gane who are both Independent. Akwasi Addae Odike of the United Progressive Party, Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party and Kwasi Busumbru of the People's Action Party were also not eligible. [30] [31] [32] On 20 October 2020, the candidates balloted for the order in which they will appear on the ballot paper. The incumbent president, Nana Akufo-Addo will be the first on the list followed by John Mahama, a former president. The full list as on the ballot paper is below. [33] [34] Following this, one of the disqualified candidates, Nana Agyenim Boateng, leader of the UFP, took to court to seek redress and prevent the elections from going ahead but the Accra High Court found no grounds to grant this relief. [35]
Party | Abbreviation | Presidential Candidate | Running Mate |
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New Patriotic Party | NPP | Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo | Mahamudu Bawumia [36] |
National Democratic Congress | NDC | John Dramani Mahama | Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang [37] |
Ghana Union Movement | GUM | Christian Kwabena Andrews | Abu Grant Lukeman [38] |
Convention People's Party | CPP | Ivor Kobina Greenstreet | Emmanuel Yaovi Bobobe [39] |
Ghana Freedom Party | GFP | Akua Donkor | Ernest Adakabre Frimpong Manso [40] |
Great Consolidated Popular Party | GCPP | Henry Herbert Lartey | Andy Bampoe-Sekyi [36] |
All People's Congress | APC | Hassan Ayariga | Frank Yaw Kuadey [41] |
Liberal Party of Ghana | LPG | Percival Kofi Akpaloo | Margaret Obrine Sarfo [36] |
People's National Convention | PNC | David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera | Divine Ayivor [36] |
Progressive People's Party | PPP | Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku | Kofi Asamoah-Siaw [42] |
National Democratic Party | NDP | Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings | Peter Tennyson Asamoah [36] |
Independent | Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker | Jacob Osei Yeboah [21] |
On 8 December, a day after the elections there were reports of gunshots leading to the arrest of Nii Lante Vanderpuye the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Odododiodio constituency. [43] The Ghana Police reported 5 deaths and 19 injuries during and after the election. [44]
The Electoral Commission announced that following the creation of the Guan District in the Oti Region through the Guan District Local Government (Guan District Assembly) (Establishment) Instrument, 2020, people in this area will only be able to take part in the presidential election. This is because the Guan constituency had not yet been formally created. [45] [46]
Ben Ephson of the Daily Dispatch newspaper conducted polls in the Greater Accra, Central and Western regions. He predicted that Akufo-Addo of the NPP will win the election with 52.6% of the votes while Mahama will obtain 45.7%. [47] [48] The Political Science Department of the University of Ghana polled 11,949 respondents and predicted that Akufo-Addo (NPP) will win 51.7% of the vote while Mahama wins 40.4%. [48] [49] An iPoll survey of 670 respondents predicted 48.7% of the votes for Mahama and 46.7% for Akufo-Addo implying that the election may go a second round as the winner has to have over 50% of the votes. [50] The Governance Research Bureau predicted that Akufo-Addo will obtain 49.19% of the votes and Mahama 48.27% also implying a second round of elections may be needed. [49]
The total number of registered voters was 17,027,655. [51] The Electoral Commission promised to declare the results of the election within 24 hours of the completion of voting. [52] Some leaders of the NDC expressed their doubts about the commission being able to do so within the 24 hours time frame. [53] [54] In the late afternoon of 8 December the Electoral commission communicated that the declaration of the votes in 24 hours which was supposed to take place at 5:00 pm which is exactly 24 hours of the closure of the election had been extended. The Commission in a statement explained that the extension was to ensure that collation of results at the constituency and regional collation centres across the country are accurate. [55] On 9 December, incumbent Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo was declared the winner after securing a majority of the votes needed to avoid a runoff. [56]
The declared results exclude the figures for the Techiman South as the results there are being contested. The Electoral Commissioner states that the results of this constituency alone will not change the outcome of the election. [57] On 10 December 2020, the Electoral Commission issued a statement which revised figures for the presidential election results while admitting that there had been some errors. [58] A research group Research and Grant Institute of Ghana raised concerns about this and the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) urged the commission to come out and clarify the errors properly instead of just issuing press releases. [59] [60]
Region | Akufo-Addo NPP | Mahama NDC | Andrews GUM | Greenstreet CPP | Donkor GFP | Lartey GCPP | Ayariga APC | Akpaloo LPG | Apasera PNC | Dzogbenuku PPP | Rawlings NDP | Walker IND |
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Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | |
Ahafo | 145,584 | 116,485 | 1,493 | 194 | 49 | 51 | 150 | 113 | 82 | 52 | 135 | 103 |
Ashanti | 1,795,824 | 653,149 | 12,564 | 1,356 | 593 | 304 | 482 | 712 | 444 | 435 | 476 | 952 |
Bono | 292,604 | 203,329 | 4,514 | 338 | 165 | 132 | 255 | 216 | 209 | 214 | 235 | 374 |
Bono East | 153,341 | 213,694 | 2,923 | 380 | 143 | 153 | 409 | 304 | 231 | 220 | 210 | 400 |
Central | 613,804 | 538,829 | 15,160 | 1,117 | 478 | 361 | 468 | 586 | 323 | 1,042 | 467 | 804 |
Eastern | 752,061 | 470,999 | 9,819 | 854 | 379 | 211 | 466 | 510 | 278 | 363 | 358 | 642 |
Greater Accra | 1,253,179 | 1,326,489 | 16,112 | 1,763 | 767 | 231 | 628 | 522 | 401 | 1,220 | 685 | 511 |
Northern | 409,963 | 476,550 | 3,184 | 1,510 | 394 | 438 | 900 | 1,281 | 1,209 | 498 | 545 | 1,259 |
North East | 122,742 | 112,306 | 952 | 292 | 324 | 198 | 376 | 505 | 579 | 205 | 322 | 322 |
Oti | 103,865 | 181,021 | 2,459 | 265 | 200 | 97 | 195 | 228 | 371 | 240 | 263 | 282 |
Savannah | 80,605 | 144,244 | 1,409 | 503 | 212 | 185 | 387 | 322 | 344 | 160 | 279 | 435 |
Upper East | 170,340 | 335,502 | 3,100 | 879 | 832 | 359 | 919 | 868 | 2,890 | 685 | 1,017 | 1,321 |
Upper West | 121,230 | 238,972 | 2,240 | 640 | 360 | 354 | 487 | 742 | 2,794 | 328 | 406 | 1,094 |
Volta | 100,481 | 606,508 | 4,679 | 705 | 180 | 158 | 406 | 237 | 220 | 314 | 617 | 442 |
Western | 439,724 | 398,549 | 20,638 | 1,143 | 379 | 223 | 400 | 367 | 305 | 787 | 417 | 508 |
Western North | 175,240 | 196,556 | 4,302 | 261 | 119 | 109 | 210 | 170 | 202 | 86 | 117 | 255 |
Total | 6,730,587 | 6,213,182 | 105,548 | 12,200 | 5,574 | 3,564 | 7,138 | 7,683 | 10,882 | 6,849 | 6,549 | 9,704 |
Source: Graphic Online Electoral Commission of Ghana |
There has been a long delay in declaring the final result in the parliamentary election. On 14 December, a week after voting was completed, the Electoral Commission announced that it was working on finalising the results for Sene West constituency. [61]
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
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New Patriotic Party | 6,651,028 | 50.42 | 137 | –32 | |
National Democratic Congress | 6,094,478 | 46.20 | 137 | +31 | |
Ghana Union Movement | 60,840 | 0.46 | 0 | New | |
People's National Convention | 29,211 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 | |
Progressive People's Party | 24,334 | 0.18 | 0 | 0 | |
Convention People's Party | 11,105 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | |
Liberal Party of Ghana | 7,521 | 0.06 | 0 | New | |
National Democratic Party | 6,421 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | |
Great Consolidated Popular Party | 1,976 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
United Progressive Party | 1,934 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
All People's Congress | 1,214 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | |
Independents | 301,996 | 2.29 | 1 | +1 | |
Total | 13,192,058 | 100.00 | 275 | 0 | |
Registered voters/turnout | 17,027,655 | – | |||
Source: ghanaweb.com EC |
S/N | Region | NPP | NDC | IND | Total | |
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1 | Ahafo | 4 | 2 | – | 6 | |
2 | Ashanti | 42 | 4 | 1 | 47 | |
3 | Bono | 6 | 6 | – | 12 | |
4 | Bono East | 3 | 8 | – | 11 | |
5 | Central | 10 | 13 | – | 23 | |
6 | Eastern | 25 | 8 | – | 33 | |
7 | Greater Accra | 14 | 20 | – | 34 | |
8 | Northern | 9 | 9 | – | 18 | |
9 | North East | 4 | 2 | – | 6 | |
10 | Oti | 0 | 8 | – | 8 | |
11 | Savannah | 3 | 4 | – | 7 | |
12 | Upper East | 1 | 14 | – | 15 | |
13 | Upper West | 3 | 8 | – | 11 | |
14 | Volta | 1 | 17 | – | 18 | |
15 | Western | 9 | 8 | – | 17 | |
16 | Western North | 3 | 6 | – | 9 | |
Total | 137 | 137 | 1 | 275 | ||
Source: Electoral Commission of Ghana |
On 30 December 2020 the NDC filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the results. [62] On 4 March 2021 the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the petition, stated that it lacked merit. [63] [64]
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.
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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.
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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 2003 to 2007 under the Kufuor-led administration.
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.
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Akwasi Addai Odike is a Ghanaian businessman and politician.
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The All People's Congress is a Ghanian political party formed as a breakaway from the People's National Convention (PNC).
Jean Adukwei Mensa is a Ghanaian lawyer by profession who has been serving as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana since July 2018. She was nominated by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo to take over the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) from her predecessor, Charlotte Osei. Jean Mensa was born on November 12, 1971. Prior to assuming the role of chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa spent an 18-year career at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), rising to the position of executive director. As the EC chairperson, Jean Mensa declared the then presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP as the president-elect of the December 7th, 2020 Presidential Election.
David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera is a Ghanaian politician. He was the presidential candidate for the People's National Convention (PNC) in the 2020 Ghanaian general election. He was member of parliament for Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana between 2001 and 2009.
The presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo began on 7 January 2017. Following the 2016 Ghanaian general elections, Nana Akufo-Addo the flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party, succeeded John Mahama as the 5th President of the Ghanaian Fourth Republic after winning by a landslide. He won a second term on 9 December 2020 in a tightly contested race against National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate and former president, John Mahama.
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.
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.