EC Chair Jean Mensa advocates for electronic voting in Africa to minimize rejected ballots.

Jean Mensa, Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) and President of the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA), has called for the adoption of electronic voting (e-voting) across Africa to reduce the high rate of rejected ballots. Speaking at the 9th Annual Continental Forum of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) in Accra, she emphasized that embracing technology in electoral processes could minimize human errors, streamline voting procedures, and improve the credibility of elections. She pointed out that many ballots are rejected due to improper thumb-printing and incorrect markings, which could be eliminated with a simplified e-voting system where voters select their preferred candidate digitally. She highlighted that Ghana has consistently recorded a rejected ballot rate between 1% and 3% since 1992. In the 2020 elections, for instance, 2.33% of votes were invalid, and in the 2024 polls, the figure slightly dropped to 2.08%. While these numbers may seem small, she argued that they represent thousands of disenfranchised voters. To address this, she proposed a user-friendly e-voting system that would allow voters to select their choice by tapping a candidate’s name or party logo on a screen, significantly reducing the possibility of invalid votes. Additionally, she stressed the need for continuous voter education and improved training for election officials to ensure smooth electoral processes. The Accra forum, themed "All Votes Count: Addressing the Problem of Invalid or Rejected Ballots in Africa," brought together over 40 representatives from electoral management bodies across the continent. Discussions focused on identifying key challenges that lead to invalid ballots and exploring best practices from other democracies. Mensa urged African electoral bodies to embrace modern technology while ensuring inclusivity and transparency in elections. The event also served as a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on innovative strategies that can enhance the integrity of electoral systems and ensure that every vote cast is counted accurately.