Jean Mensa, Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, has urged electoral bodies across Africa to address the persistent issue of rejected ballots, emphasizing their negative impact on democracy as reported by Ghana Web
Speaking at the 12th General Assembly of the Association of African Election Authorities in Accra, Mensa described the high rate of rejected votes as a significant challenge.
She stressed the need for measures to ensure that every ballot cast is counted. “It is important for us as election management bodies to work to ensure that every vote counts,” she said.
The event, held from March 12 to 13, 2025, also marked the conclusion of the Ninth Annual Continental Forum for Electoral Management Bodies.
The forum highlighted concerns over invalid ballots in national elections, which can undermine the credibility of electoral processes.
Mensa called for electoral commissions to adopt strategies such as electronic voting, ballot redesign, and voter education to minimize errors. These steps, she stated, would enhance public confidence in elections.
The Association, comprising election officials from 45 African countries, also focused on electing new leadership and implementing a five-year strategic plan aimed at strengthening electoral processes.
Mensa praised the introduction of solidarity missions in 2023, which allowed electoral heads to observe and support elections in member states.
In Ghana, electoral data shows that between 1992 and 2020, one to three percent of votes were rejected. In 2020, 2.33 percent of ballots were invalidated, a figure that slightly dropped to 2.08 percent in 2024.
Efforts to reduce such occurrences, Mensa stated, are crucial for the advancement of democratic governance across Africa.