<<Print>>

Pre-Election Environment Observation Statement for December 2014 Introduction The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) is pleased to release its second statement on the observation of the pre-election environment ahead of the March 3, 2015 local government/district assembly and unit committee elections. The statement, which follows the first report released in early December, captures observations made by CODEO�s 86 long-term pre-election observers deployed to 86 purposefully selected districts (See Appendix A below on the list of districts) throughout the ten (10) regions of the country. These observations were made from weekly reports filed by CODEO Observers during the month of December, 2014. Summary of Finding: �The Electoral Commission (EC) intensified preparations for the 2015 local government elections; �The EC submitted to Law Courts for prosecution cases of individuals involved in multiple registrations; �The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) continued with sensitization and education promotion on the participation of marginalized groups in the up-coming local government elections; and �Interested aspirants picked up nomination forms at the various district offices of the EC; some aspiring candidates also continued with campaigning ahead of being officially declared candidates by the EC. Main Findings �The Electoral Commission intensified preparations for the up-coming elections. During the period of observation, CODEO observed that the EC intensified preparations towards the 2015 local government elections. The EC announced a new date for the elections to be March 3, 2015. The EC also opened and closed nominations for election into the various district assemblies and unit committees. CODEO observers from the various districts reported that some district EC Offices, such as the Kassena-Nankana, Nzema East and Wa West districts promoted awareness regarding the nomination processes, in addition to sensitizing the public about the new date for the elections. In the Dormaa Central district of the Brong-Ahafo region, the EC educated people on how to fill out the nomination forms and encouraged people to contest for the elections. The EC also put up notices of elections and worked on replacement of lost voter ID cards and vote transfers.