At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Ghana

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Jerry John RAWLINGS
• Head of Government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS
• Assembly: Ghana has a unicameral Parliament with 200 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Parliament 200 members are elected by simple majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• John KUFUOR
  • Party: New Patriotic Party (NPP)
• John Atta MILLS
  • Party: National Democratic Congress (NDC)

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• John KUFUOR
  • Party: New Patriotic Party (NPP)
• John Atta MILLS
  • Party: National Democratic Congress (NDC)
• Edward MAHAMA
  • Party: People's National Convention (PNC)
• George HAGAN
  • Party: Convention People's Party (CPP)
• Goosie TANOH
  • Party: National Reform Party (NRP)
• Dan LARTEY
  • Party: Greater Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP)
• Charles WEREKO-BROBBY
  • Party: United Ghana Movement (UGM)
• Other Candidates
  • Party: N/A

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential Elections were last held on December 7, 1996. President RAWLINGS received 57.2% of the vote, thereby defeating John KUFUOR who received 39.8%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 18,824,994 (2000)
• Registered Voters: 10,698,652 (December 2000 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 9,318,117 (2000)

·         Is Ghana a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Ghana ratified CEDAW: Yes (2 January 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 18 (following the 2000 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 140 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Ghana a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Ghana ratified CRPD: Yes (31 July 2012)

·         Population with a disability: 2,823,749 (est.)