Ghana votes in presidential, parliamentary elections

Accra (The Uttam Hindu):  Ghanaian voters went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new President and 276 lawmakers.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, who leads the opposition National Democratic Congress, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who leads the ruling New Patriotic Party, and 11 others are competing for the presidency, and 801 candidates, including 111 independent ones, are vying for the 276 seats in the unicameral legislature, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Ghana Electoral Commission, more than 18 million eligible voters are registered to vote in this year's general elections.

The polls were expected to close at 5 p.m. local time (1700 GMT), to be followed by vote counting and declarations at the polling station levels.

The presidential candidate who gets 50 per cent plus at least one vote is deemed the winner. If no candidate clears the threshold, a run-off will be held.