Turnout in this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections in some parts of the Western Region was impressive as there were long winding queues at most of the polling centres.
Voting began at exactly 7 am at most of the polling centres even though some eligible voters arrived at the designated polling stations as early as 3.00am.
At all the polling centres DGN Online visited it was revealed that voting was orderly and peacefully and there were no untoward incidents.
However, it was observed at some centres, that there were a number of misunderstandings among electoral officers, polling agents and some voters about the placement of the voting screens.
At the 31st December Women’s Day Care Centre 2, Takoradi 1, polling centre in the Takoradi constituency, a resident, Nana Yaw Sobeng was prevented from voting because his name appeared twice on the register and his voter’s identification (ID) number on his card did not also tally with the ID number on the register.
In all, a total of 1,183,794 registered voters were expected to cast their ballot in the 17 constituencies in the region.
At the 31st December Women’s Day Care Centre number 2, Takoradi 1 polling centre, 602 persons were expected to vote and as at 8:17am, 55 of the voters had cast their ballot.
Mr Frank Afetsi, the presiding officer at the polling station, expressed satisfaction with the turnout.
He said the elections were going on smoothly and praised the electorate for their responsible behaviour.
Out of the 633 total voters expected for the 31st December Women’s Day Care centre number 2, Takoradi 2 polling station, 69 had cast their ballot as at 8:50am when the DGN Online got there, according to the Presiding Officer, Gideon Lord Armah.
At the Presbyterian Primary School polling centre in the Takoradi constituency, 396 persons were expected to vote and according to the Presiding Officer, Charlotte Baiden Fletcher, 86 had voted as at 8:25am.
At Army School Ranch Barracks in Takoradi out of the 414 eligible voters expected, 114 have cast their ballot as at 9:17am, according to the Presiding Officer, Ishmael Bentum.
The Well-Road polling station in the Sekondi constituency had 510 registered voters and as at 10:08 when DAILY GUIDE visited the centre, 208 persons had voted.
At the Christ Apostolic Church polling centre in the Kwesimintsim constituency, the total number of registered voters was 631 and as at 10:29am, 184 of them had voted.
At the Obiri Preparatory School polling station 4, 360 persons were expected to vote but as 10:14am, 113 had cast their ballot.
At all the centres visited, representatives of the two major parties, the NDC and NPP were present.
By DGN Online Election Team