ELECTION INTEGRITY AT RISK: THE CYBERSECURITY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION’S ILLEGAL TRANSFER OF VOTERS.
INTRODUCTION As Ghana prepares for its national elections on December 7, 2024, the integrity of the electoral process is under increasing scrutiny. A recent breach involving the illegal transfer of voters by a staff member of the Electoral Commission (EC) has exposed serious vulnerabilities in the EC’s digital voter management system. This breach, which led to the dismissal of the staff member, underscores critical weaknesses in the EC’s infrastructure—a key pillar of Ghana’s democracy. In today’s digital age, elections rely heavily on electronic systems to manage voter data and ensure accurate results. When these systems are compromised, as in the recent breach within the EC, they not only threaten sensitive voter data but also undermine the trust citizens place in the electoral process. Unauthorised access or manipulation of these systems can lead to inaccurate results, jeopardizing the fairness of elections and, ultimately, the foundation of democracy—the right to vote and hav