Electoral Reforms: Agents must video pink sheets - NPP

Polling agents must be allowed to “video record or photograph the pink sheet” before it is wired to the collation centres to minimise electoral fraud in 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suggested to the Electoral Commission.

The main opposition party in a 30-page electoral reform proposal to the EC said, allowing the agents to have an electronic copy of the sheet, formally known as Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results, will help eliminate the “irregularities” recorded in the 2012 elections and another election petition.

The NPP resorted to the Supreme Court to challenge President John Mahama’s victory in 2012, alleging fraud mainly on the ‘Pink Sheets’ which cost their flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo the presidency. The court after an eight-month legal tussle validated Mahama as a legitimate leader of the oil-producing country.

Starrfmonline.com has intercepted a copy of the electoral reform prepared by the main opposition to the EC and among others made the following recommendations under “Pink Sheet” section:

1. The agents must be allowed to video record or photograph the pink sheet on completion before it is transmitted to the collation centre.

2. High quality carbonless paper must be used that allows multiple copies of the pink sheet to be distributed to the interested political parties, candidates and the pool of reporters.

3. Every pink sheet (for special voting centres and ordinary polling stations) must have a unique identification (serial number) and embossed with the following:

a. Polling station code b. Polling station name c. For presidential elections names of presidential candidates d. For parliamentary elections names of parliamentary candidates e. Number of registered voters for the polling station f. Number of People on the “Trauma List” g. Number of people on the absentee (special voters) list

4. The EC should order a maximum of two (2) sets of pink sheets per polling station with different colours to differentiate the two.

5. The statement of poll in each polling station must have a bar code reading to distinguish its unique features from any other.

6. In the (A) section of the pink sheet, (A3) should read ‘What is the serial number for the BVD?’

7. In the (C) section, C3 should be deleted and replaced with ‘What is the number of verified voters on the BVD at the close of the poll before counting of votes commences?’

8. Section (C) should include the question ‘What is the number of voters recorded by the BVD as having been verified after the close of polls before counting commences?’

9. The statement of poll (21A) should include the name of Presiding Officer, signature, date and time as it is on form 22A (Declaration of Results form).

10. The agents must be allowed to video record or photograph the pink sheet on completion before it is transmitted to the collation centre.

11. High quality carbonless paper must be used that allows multiple copies of the pink sheet to be distributed to the interested political parties, candidates and the pool of reporters.