Photo: AEP

President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana is the candidate of the National Democratic Congress in the 2012 elections.

On Friday, December 7, Ghana is expected to go to the polls for the fifth time since 1992 to elect its leader for the next four years under the current democratic dispensation.

As Ghana still struggles with levels of literacy, key facts and figures about the upcoming elections will be an important source of information to the voting public. The election is expected to take place in a free, fair and transparent atmosphere.

The African Elections Project through its enabling peaceful credible and transparent elections programme, has come up with the following facts and figures about the upcoming 2012 general elections.

GHANA ELECTIONS 2012 IN NUMBERS

I. 1,332 parliamentary candidates are contesting this years' election.

II. 275 seats are up for grabs in Ghana's parliament

III. 4 swing regions. These include, Western, Greater Accra, Central and Brong Ahafo Regions

IV. 8 Presidential candidates have successfully filed to contest to become the next President of the Republic of Ghana.

V. NDC has stronghold in these regions. Namely, Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

VI. NPP has stronghold in regions such as Ashanti and Eastern Regions.

VII. 26,000 polling stations are ready for the election exercise.

VIII. 13,628,817 registered voters.

IX. 13.63 million-population is above voting age of 18

X. 126 independent parliamentary candidates to contest this year's election

XI. 3 Female Vice Presidential Candidates

a. CPP - Madam Cherita Sarpong

b. PNC - Madam Helen Sanorita Dzatugbe Matrevi

c. PPP - Madam Eva Lokko

XII. 40,586/0.46%-Deciding votes for Ghana elections 2008

XIII. 24,965,816 is the estimated population of Ghana

XIV. GH¢243m is the cost of organizing Ghana 2012 elections.

XV. 4 Political Parties with seats in the fourth republican parliament

a) National Democratic Congress (NDC)

b) New Patriotic Party(NPP)

c) Convention People's Party(CPP)

d) People's National Convention (PNC)

XVI. 2,557,261- largest registered voters, Ashanti Region.

XVII. 1 Independent Presidential candidate contesting in this year's election.

XVIII. 4,780,380 - population of Ashanti region and it is the largest in Ghana

XIX. 47 constituencies in Ashanti region, the highest number of constituencies in Ghana

XX. 11 constituencies in Upper West Region, the lowest number of constituencies.

XXI. 702,110 is the population of Upper West, the smallest region in Ghana

XXII. 50 plus 1 vote is what is required for a Presidential candidate to be declared a winner.