Balloting Today

By Edmund Mingle
Tuesday, 21 October 2008

SEVEN of the eight presidential candidates contesting the presidency in the December 7 polls will today ballot for positions on the presidential ballot paper.
The eighth candidate, Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, who is an independent contestant, according to the EC, will not be balloting as he will automatically be on the ballot by virtue of the fact that independent candidates come after candidates contesting on party tickets.
Today’s balloting will determine the positions of the party symbols and pictures of the flagbearers, namely Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party, Prof. Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Convention People’s Party, Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention, Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi of the Democratic Freedom Party, Kwabena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats, and Thomas Ward-Brew of the Democratic People’s Party.
The contesting parties are likely to use their positions on the ballot paper for campaign slogans as had been in the past with the adoption of “Esoro ho” and “Asee ho” catchphrases.
The positions on the ballot are also crucial to the parties as they believe it enhances their identification by the electorate, especially the non-literates.
It is not clear how the independent candidate would use the “Asee ho” position to his advantage, but campaign managers of the candidate told the Times that the opportunity would be adequately and effectively utilised.
With the “Asee ho” spot gone, the big parties would be praying and hoping to grab the topmost spot so as to use the “Esoro ho” advantage.