Voter Registration Affidavit (Ghana)

A Voter Registration Affidavit in Ghana sets out facts attested under oath, giving them evidentiary weight in legal and administrative proceedings.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) is an independent constitutional body established under Article 43 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992 and governed by the Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451). The EC is headquartered in Accra and operates district offices throughout all sixteen regions of Ghana — including the Greater Accra Region, Ashanti Region, Western Region, Central Region, Eastern Region, Volta Region, Oti Region, Bono Region, Bono East Region, Ahafo Region, Northern Region, Savannah Region, North East Region, Upper East Region, Upper West Region, and Western North Region. The EC administers voter registration under the Constitutional Instrument C.I. 91 (Public Elections Regulations 2012) as updated by C.I. 94 (2016) and C.I. 127 (2020).

Article 42 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992 confers the right to vote in public elections on every Ghanaian citizen of eighteen years of age or above who is of sound mind. Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act 1992 (PNDCL 284) — substantially replaced by the Public Elections Regulations — requires persons who wish to exercise the right to vote to be registered on the voters' register for the constituency in which they are ordinarily resident. The Electoral Commission conducts periodic voter registration exercises using biometric data collection equipment.

The National Identification Authority (NIA), established under the National Identification Authority Act 2006 (Act 707), issues the Ghana Card (National Identity Card), which is the primary identity document accepted for voter registration. The EC adopted the Ghana Card as the sole identity document for voter registration under C.I. 126 (Registration of Voters Regulations 2020), requiring applicants to present a valid Ghana Card. Where an applicant cannot present a Ghana Card — for example, because of a discrepancy between the NIA records and the applicant's known personal details, or because a lost or damaged card is being replaced — an affidavit may be required to explain the discrepancy.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is distinct from the general affidavit forms used in civil litigation. The EC or a Commissioner for Oaths accepting the affidavit will verify the identity of the deponent against available records including the NIA Ghana Card database and existing EC registration records. Making a false statement in an affidavit sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths is an offence under the Oaths Act 1978 (Act 316) and may amount to perjury under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).

The Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451) and the Constitutional Instruments issued under it set out the detailed procedural requirements for voter registration. The EC may prescribe specific affidavit formats for particular registration purposes — such as affidavits supporting claims of age or nationality — and applicants should obtain the current form from their local Electoral Commission District Office before completing an affidavit.

The Births and Deaths Registry, operating under the Births and Deaths Registry Act 1965 (Act 301), maintains records of all births and deaths registered in Ghana. A birth certificate issued by the Births and Deaths Registry serves as primary evidence of age and citizenship for voter registration purposes. Where an applicant does not have a birth certificate, the Electoral Commission may accept a Voter Registration Affidavit supplemented by other corroborating documents.

The Legal Aid Commission of Ghana (GLAC), established under the Legal Aid Commission Act 1997 (Act 542), provides free or subsidised legal assistance — including the preparation and swearing of affidavits before a Commissioner for Oaths — to persons who cannot afford solicitor fees. The GLAC has offices in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Cape Coast, and other district capitals throughout Ghana's sixteen regions. Citizens who cannot afford to pay Commissioner for Oaths fees should approach their nearest GLAC office.

A Voter Registration Affidavit in Ghana is needed whenever a Ghanaian citizen applies to the Electoral Commission (EC) for voter registration, transfer of registration, or correction of an existing register entry, and the standard documentary requirements cannot be fully satisfied by presenting a Ghana Card alone, or where the EC requires a sworn declaration to resolve a discrepancy in an applicant's personal details.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is required when a first-time voter registration applicant cannot establish their age, nationality, or residential address through a Ghana Card — for example, because the NIA records do not yet contain the applicant's biometric data, or the Ghana Card application is pending, and the EC accepts a sworn affidavit as a supplementary supporting document during a mass registration exercise.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is needed when a registered voter seeks to correct their name, date of birth, or residential address on the voters' register held by the Electoral Commission, and the correction cannot be made on the basis of the Ghana Card alone because the discrepancy predates the NIA registration or involves an error made during a previous EC registration exercise.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is required when a registered voter applies to transfer their voter registration from one constituency to another — for example, following a change of residence from the Kumasi Metropolitan District in the Ashanti Region to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly area in the Greater Accra Region — and the EC requires sworn confirmation of the applicant's change of ordinary residence.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is needed when a person claims Ghanaian citizenship through birth, descent, or registration under the Citizenship Act 2000 (Act 591) — which replaced the earlier citizenship provisions — and the EC requires documentary support of the citizenship claim beyond what is shown on the applicant's Ghana Card, for example where the applicant was born abroad to a Ghanaian parent.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is required when an objection is lodged against an entry on the voters' register and the objector must set out the grounds of the objection in a sworn statement submitted to the EC under the Public Elections Regulations 2016 (C.I. 94).

A Voter Registration Affidavit is needed when a physically disabled person or a person who is hospitalised and unable to present in person at an EC registration point requires a sworn statement to support an application for a special registration arrangement or proxy voting under the EC's administrative procedures.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is required when a young person turning eighteen years of age during a voter registration period needs to confirm their age and citizenship under Article 42 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992, particularly where their Ghana Card may not yet reflect their eighteenth birthday or where there is a discrepancy in the NIA database.

A Voter Registration Affidavit is needed when a Ghanaian citizen who has been living abroad for an extended period returns to Ghana and wishes to re-register on the voters' register for their home constituency, and the Electoral Commission requires a sworn declaration of intention to reside permanently at the stated address in Ghana consistent with the ordinary residence requirement.

A Voter Registration Affidavit in Ghana that satisfies the requirements of the Electoral Commission (EC) under the Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451) and the Oaths Act 1978 (Act 316) must contain the following essential elements.

Deponent's Identity: The full legal name of the person making the sworn statement (the deponent), their date of birth, current residential address in Ghana specifying the constituency and district, their Ghana Card number issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) under Act 707 (or passport number or other official identity reference where the Ghana Card is unavailable), and their relationship to the electoral matter at issue — whether first-time registrant, existing registered voter seeking correction, transferee, or objector.

Statement of Citizenship: A declaration that the deponent is a citizen of the Republic of Ghana, specifying whether citizenship was acquired by birth in Ghana, by birth abroad to a Ghanaian parent under the Citizenship Act 2000 (Act 591), by registration, or by naturalisation. The deponent should cite the legal basis of their citizenship claim.

Statement of Age: A declaration that the deponent has attained the age of eighteen years as required by Article 42 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992, with the date of birth stated. Where the deponent does not have a birth certificate issued by the Births and Deaths Registry under the Births and Deaths Registry Act 1965 (Act 301), the affidavit should explain how the deponent's age is known and confirmed.

Residential Address and Constituency: A declaration of the deponent's ordinary place of residence in Ghana, specifying the house number or plot number, street or community name, town or city, district, and region, and confirming that the deponent has resided at that address for sufficient time to qualify for registration in the relevant constituency. The constituency boundaries are set by the Electoral Commission under the Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451).

Purpose of the Affidavit: A clear statement of the purpose for which the affidavit is made — for example, to support first-time voter registration, to correct an existing register entry, to support a transfer of registration, or to support an objection to a register entry.

Statement of Truth: A declaration that the contents of the affidavit are true to the best of the deponent's knowledge and belief, and that the deponent understands that making a false statement in a sworn affidavit is a criminal offence under the Oaths Act 1978 (Act 316) and the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).

Swearing and Attestation: The affidavit must be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public under the Oaths Act 1978 (Act 316). The Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public must sign and seal the affidavit, confirm the date and place of swearing, and record their official capacity. Commissioners for Oaths in Ghana include magistrates, circuit court judges, and solicitors enrolled with the Ghana Bar Association who have been admitted as Commissioners for Oaths.

Witness Information (where required): Where the EC requires a witness to corroborate the deponent's residential address or personal details, the witness's full name, address, identity document details, and signature should be included.

Forms-legal.com provides this Voter Registration Affidavit template as a starting point for Ghanaian citizens supporting their electoral registration applications. Applicants should obtain the current affidavit format from their local Electoral Commission District Office and consult a solicitor enrolled with the Ghana Bar Association if the registration matter is contested or involves a citizenship claim. The Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451) and the Public Elections Regulations 2016 (C.I. 94) should be read together with any administrative notices issued by the EC for the current registration cycle.

Birth Certificate Reference: Where the deponent holds a birth certificate issued by the Births and Deaths Registry under the Births and Deaths Registry Act 1965 (Act 301), the certificate number and the registration district should be stated in the affidavit. Where no birth certificate exists, the affidavit should explain why and identify the alternative evidence of age and identity being relied upon.

Witness Corroboration: Where the Electoral Commission's guidelines require a witness to corroborate the deponent's personal details — for example, a community elder, a church pastor, or an existing registered voter who can confirm the deponent's residence and identity — the witness's full name, address, Ghana Card number, and voter identification number should be included in the affidavit.

Forms-legal.com provides this Voter Registration Affidavit template as a starting point for Ghanaian citizens supporting their electoral registration applications. Applicants should obtain the current affidavit format from their local Electoral Commission District Office and consult a solicitor enrolled with the Ghana Bar Association or the Legal Aid Commission of Ghana (GLAC) if the registration matter is contested or involves a citizenship claim. The Electoral Commission (EC) periodically publishes administrative guidelines on the use of affidavits in the voter registration process, and these guidelines may specify additional requirements or change the format of the affidavit required for particular purposes such as name corrections or constituency transfers. Applicants should always download the current affidavit form from the EC District Office website or obtain it in person from the EC District Office for their constituency, as outdated formats may not be accepted. The EC's nationwide voter register is continuously updated between general elections to accommodate new registrants, transfers, corrections, and deletions of deceased voters under the Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451) and the Public Elections Regulations 2016 (C.I. 94).