Majority to vote on policies - Voters prioritise manifestos in Graphic poll

In what appears to suggest voters' focus on bread and butter issues, majority of respondents in a Daily Graphic poll have indicated that their choices in the December 7 elections will be based on the manifestos of the political parties.

Out of 4,982 respondents in the online poll run by Graphic Online, 3,317 respondents, representing 66.58 per cent of the participants said they would vote on the basis of promises captured in the manifestos.

The remaining 1,665 respondents, representing 33.42 per cent of the poll participants, answered "No" to whether manifestos would influence their votes in the December elections.

A third option, "No answer", received no responses from the respondents.

Interestingly, 3,213 of the respondents, 64.49 per cent, indicated that they had read at least one of the manifesto documents, while 1,185 respondents, representing 23.79 per cent of participants, said they had not read any of them.

The remaining 584 respondents, representing 11.72 per cent of participants, were blunt with their "Not interested" answer.

While those influenced by a manifesto were a shade more than those who had actually read one, it appears that some might have gotten the details of the manifestos through other means different from reading the documents by themselves.

Indeed, the poll made no provision for that option.

The poll was accessible only to Ghana-based visitors to the Graphic Online website.

It means it was available to internet users, and some level of literacy was required to complete the short exercise.

It was not available to visitors to the website who live outside the country.

Targeted at voters in the December elections, 4,847 of the respondents, representing 97.29 per cent of respondents, confirmed that they were registered voters.

The remaining 135 respondents, who constituted 2.71 per cent of the participants, indicated that they were not registered voters.

Demographics

The poll provided space for demographic data, which recorded 319 respondents (6.40 per cent) for 18-25 years; 1,339 respondents (26.88 per cent) for 26-35 years; 1,830 respondents (36.73 per cent) for 36-45 years; 872 respondents (17.50 per cent) for 46-55 years; 388 respondents (7.79 per cent) for 56-65 years; and 234 respondents (4.70 per cent) for 66 years and above.

Of the participants, 4,218 respondents, representing 84.66 per cent, indicated that they voted in the 2020 polls, with 749 respondents, representing 15.03 per cent of participants, indicating that they did not vote in the last election.

A further 15 respondents chose "No answer" for whether they voted four years ago.

In terms of whether they would vote in the December 7 elections, 4,190 respondents, representing 84.10 per cent of the participants, said they would, while 395 respondents, representing 7.93 per cent of participants, said they would not vote in December.

The remaining 397 respondents, representing 7.97 per cent of participants, said they had "Not yet decided".

Analysts

Some political watchers are, however, divided over the relevance of manifestos in the voting choices of the electorate.

While some have hailed voters' interest in manifestos as an important dimension of the country's political development, others believe it is an overstated issue in terms of voters' interest.

Useful instruments

The Chief Executive Officer of the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, said party manifestos outlining economic policies could be useful instruments for the electorate in exercising their franchise.

He said it was, therefore, not surprising that majority of the people polled suggested they would vote on what was contained in party manifestos.

"This could be a new trend, signalling greater awareness of manifestos”.

"It’s good if, indeed, manifestos are assuming greater significance in voter preferences. It would mean that the parties would be inclined to produce more credible policies that could withstand public scrutiny and accountability," the former United Nations Governance Advisor added.

He stated, however, that factors influencing voters’ choice went beyond manifestos and economic policies.

"People’s faith, values and sentiments could be more decisive. In Ghana, as in other democracies, ethnic and religious considerations, for instance, play a major role. But these are areas not easily captured in manifestos,” Agyeman-Duah stated.

"Thus, manifestos and policies contained therein could be irrelevant for areas described as 'strongholds' by the parties. In such areas, the primordial sentiments could be the primary explanatory variable for voters’ choices," he stated.

Growing awareness

A political scientist, Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa, said the shift among Ghanaian voters, who are increasingly prioritising political manifestos in their decision-making, signified a growing awareness and a move towards informed choices regarding the policies and commitments of various political parties.

He stated that while Ghanaian voters generally fell under one of two categories, namely staunch party loyalists, who were unlikely to change allegiances, and floating voters, who were more open to persuasion and driven by the issues outlined in party manifestos, there had been "a concerning decline in trust towards democracy and political institutions, prompting some former loyal supporters to reconsider their party affiliations". 

"This shift indicates a transformative moment in Ghana’s political landscape, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced voter education initiatives aimed at engaging a wider electorate,” he added

Dr Darkwa said the increasing focus on manifestos as foundational documents for political promises marked a positive development in Ghanaian politics.

“Voters appear to be becoming more discerning, concentrating on substantive issues that directly affect their lives and the future of the nation," he added.

The political scientist said that the heightened awareness could lead to more accountable governance, as political parties were held to their commitments by an informed electorate. 

"The growing attention on manifestos suggests a movement towards a more engaged and responsible democratic process in Ghana, offering a hopeful outlook for the future of the country’s political framework," the academic stated.

Elite class

A Political Science Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Gilbert Arhinful Aidoo, said the Daily Graphic poll signalled a potential shift in Ghanaian politics, pointing to increased political awareness among voters, particularly within the elite class.

"The emphasis on manifestos as a deciding factor suggests a growing preference for issue-based politics over traditional factors such as party loyalty, ethnicity or patronage," he added.

"However, the online nature of the poll likely reflects the views of more educated and urbanised respondents who have access to digital platforms and engage with policy discussions.

While this group may not represent the broader electorate, it highlights an emerging trend where a significant portion of the population are beginning to prioritise the content of political parties’ manifesto promises," Mr Aidoo further stated.

He said the shift, especially where some civil society groups subjected the manifestos to scrutiny, was more encouraging for Ghana’s body politic.

"It puts pressure on political parties to develop detailed and feasible manifestos rather than relying solely on rhetorics.

Nonetheless, its influence on  the outcome of the general election is uncertain, as many people, especially the rural folks and less educated voters, may still focus on personal relationships or immediate rewards from politicians," Mr Aidoo added.

The lecturer said the poll underscored the need for broader civic education to promote issue-based voting across all demographics.

"This will help to cultivate a political culture centred on accountability and substantive policies rather than populism and short-term gains," he emphasised.

Doubting relevance

An Emeritus Professor of Politics at the London Metropolitan University, UK, Professor Jeffrey Haynes, doubted that "more than a tiny percentage seriously read the manifestos".

"Evidence suggests that most people vote for other reasons: they have always voted for the same party and continue to do the same; they don’t like the other main party or any of the smaller parties or they don’t believe what the candidates they don’t like are promising they will do”.

"This is particularly true for Ghana, where the manifestos are replete with all the worthwhile things that a president or party wants to do in government yet they do not explain how the ‘goodies’ will be paid for. So, reading the manifestos is one thing, and believing what they promise is another," Prof. Haynes said.