Polls have officially opened across the country as citizens cast their votes to elect representatives to the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Polls opened at 7am GMT and are expected to close at 5 pm GMT across 6,215 electoral areas in 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Voters
will elect assembly and unit committee members for the next four years.
According
to the Electoral Commission, a total to 66,257 candidates comprising 18,755
candidates are contesting for assembly member positions, while 47,502 are vying
for unit committee members.
Although
polls will officially close at 5 pm, voters already queuing at that time will
be allowed to cast their ballots, ensuring every voice is heard.
Historically, voter turnout for district level elections has
been lower than for national elections.
Unlike
presidential and parliamentary elections that typically draw high voter
turnout, district level elections have seen lower participation. The highest
recorded turnout for these elections stands at 59.3% in 1988/89.
The 2023 district level elections are in accordance with the
stipulations outlined in the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), governing
the election of assembly members to MMDAs.
Section 5(3) of Act 462 states that "Elections to a
district assembly shall be held once every four years, at least six months
before or after a general election of Members of Parliament."
Furthermore, Section 6(1) of Act 462 specifies the eligibility
criteria for individuals aspiring to be elected as members of a district
assembly. Prospective candidates must be citizens of Ghana aged above 18 years,
registered voters, ordinarily resident in the district of candidacy, and
taxpayers.
Counting begins immediately after the polls are closed. The candidate who gets majority of the votes is declared the winner.
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