Headmaster recommends electronic voting system for school elections
Heads of second-cycle and tertiary institutions have been asked to adopt the use of the electronic voting system during their school elections to prepare them towards a possible use of the system in the country in future.
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According to the Headmaster of the Half-Assini Senior High School (HASCO) in the Western Region, Gershon Tsikata, if the system was used at the school level, students would grow up to become conversant with its use for future national elections
when e-voting was eventually adopted by the Electoral Commission.
He was addressing the media in the school after using the e-voting system to elect school prefects for the 2016/2017 academic year.
It was the first time the school used the new system in its elections.
System
Mr Tsikata indicated that the students did not encounter any difficulties during the voting.
In using the electronic voting system, an eligible voter is registered online with an identification number which is verified by the electoral officers.
After verification, the identification number is clicked in for an interface of contestants online for a voter to click on his or her preferred candidate and sign on to confirm voting.
The Head of the ICT Department of the school, Emmanuel Mensah Otoo, who conducted the exercise, explained that voting delayed because of inadequate computers (laptops).
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He hoped to improve upon the system in subsequent elections in the school.
The contestants described the system as very fast and devoid of cheating.
A total of 556 students took part in the exercise, which lasted for almost six hours. 23 candidates contested for the various positions.
Winners
The post of Senior Boys’ Prefect was won by Master Eric Quainoo.
He polled 180 out of 555 votes to beat three other contestants — Joseph Kanrah, who obtained 151 votes, representing 27.91 per cent; Justice Kwofieh, who had 146 votes, representing 26.31 per cent, and Albert Eduku, who placed fourth with 78 votes, representing 14.05 per cent.
The Senior Girls’ Prefect position was won by Dorothy Miezah with 301 votes, representing 54.14 per cent of the 556 votes cast.
She was followed by Grace Semenyah with 133 votes, representing 23.02 per cent, with Salina Sai Erzoah receiving 122 votes, representing 21.94 per cent.
Mumuni Adama was elected unopposed as the Boys’ Dining Hall Prefect, while Veronica Akenyah was elected as the Girls’ Dining Hall Prefect.