The government has accepted a recommendation to move Ghana’s presidential election to the first week of November, Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine has announced.
Presenting the government’s response on the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) recommendations on Thursday, July 30, 2026, Dr Ayine explained that the change is meant to give the country’s electoral calendar greater certainty and create a longer interval between the declaration of results and the inauguration of a new president.
“We have also accepted that the presidential election be held on a day in the first week of November as the Electoral Commission may specify by constitutional instrument,” he said.
According to the Attorney General, placing the election within a fixed period would improve planning for the Electoral Commission, political parties and election observers, while also guaranteeing enough time for a proper transition before the January 7 inauguration.
“A fixed period gives certainty to the electoral calendar. It allows the Commission, the parties and observers to plan and it ensures an adequate interval between the election and the inauguration of the incoming president on January 7.”
As part of the same set of electoral reforms, the government has accepted proposals to introduce clear constitutional timelines for the hearing of presidential election petitions.
Under the planned amendments, any petition challenging the outcome of a presidential election must be filed within 14 days of the declaration of results and must be determined by the Supreme Court within 30 days.
“The government has accepted that a petition must be filed within 14 days of the declaration of results and determined by the Supreme Court within 30 days.”
Dr Ayine further stated that the proposed changes would impose a constitutional duty on the Electoral Commission to release all relevant election data to the courts and to the parties involved in any dispute.
“There is going to be a constitutional obligation on the part of the Electoral Commission to disclose all relevant data to the courts and to all the parties.”
He emphasised that the reforms are designed to ensure election disputes are resolved promptly and to protect the stability of Ghana’s democratic transitions.
“We take this position because the timely resolution of election disputes endures well to the stability of our democratic transitions and to the general political stability of our country and society.”
The proposals form part of the government’s White Paper on the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations and will require constitutional amendments before they can take effect.
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