Ahead of the 2024 general election, Miss Felicia Dzifa Tegah, the National Deputy Women’s Organizer of the Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has launched an ambitious campaign aimed at reducing rejected ballots. The campaign, which kicked off in Aflao and stretched through Weta, Dabala, Denu, Agbozome, and other areas in Ketu South, saw Dzifa Tegah personally engaging with residents by moving from house to house and shop to shop to educate voters on the importance of casting valid ballots.
During the launch, Dzifa emphasized the significant impact that rejected ballots could have on election outcomes. “The Electoral Commission (EC) defines a rejected ballot as a ballot paper which is handled by the voter in such a way that the choice of candidate or the voter’s intention cannot be ascertained as such,” she explained. She pointed out that the number of rejected ballots nearly doubled from 167,349 in the 2016 general election to 313,397 in 2020. This increase is alarming, especially considering the narrow margin by which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won the previous election.
Dzifa’s campaign is not just a political strategy but a civic education initiative aimed at empowering voters with the knowledge needed to make their votes count. She highlighted the critical role of Ketu South, one of the most populous constituencies and a stronghold of the NDC, in the party’s quest for victory. “Reducing the number of rejected ballots will significantly boost our chances of winning in the upcoming December general election,” Dzifa asserted.
Her house-to-house and shop-to-shop approach allowed her to directly interact with voters, addressing their concerns and providing practical guidance on how to correctly mark their ballots. This grassroots campaign underscores the NDC’s commitment to ensuring that every vote is valid and counted.