General Right to Vote
Constitution:
(1992)
Section 42 states: "Every citizen of Ghana of eighteen years of
age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered
as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda."
Specific Inclusion of
People with Disabilities
Constitution:
(1992)
Section 29 discusses in detail the "Rights of the Disabled."
These include: right to live with their families, a normal living environment
in an institution, protection from discrimination, special consideration in
judicial proceedings, access to appropriate facilities for disabled in public
places, etc.
Exclusion Based on Mental
Disability
Constitution:
(1992)
Section 9 subsection (2) states: "A person shall not be qualified
to be a member of Parliament if he
(b) has been adjudged to be of unsound
mind or is detained as a criminal lunatic under any law in force in Ghana."
Section 42 states: "Every citizen of Ghana of eighteen years of
age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered
as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda."
Electoral Law:
(1992: Representation of People Law)
Section 7 subsection (1) states: "A person qualifies to be registered
as a voter if
(b) he is of sound mind."
Section 94 subsection (2) states: "A person shall not be qualified
to be a member of Parliament if he
(b) has been adjudged or otherwise declared
(ii) to be of unsound mind or is detained as a criminal lunatic under any law
in force in Ghana."
Voter Assistance by Other
Citizens
Electoral Law:
(1992: Representation of People Law)
Section 31 subsection (4) states: "A person who has undertaken to
assist (a) a blind voter to vote; or (b) a voter who is incapacitated from voting
by any other physical cause to vote, shall not communicate at any time to another
person information as to the candidate for whom that disabled voter intends
to vote or has voted, or as to the number, if any, on the ballot paper given
for the use of the disabled voter."
Poll Worker Manuals:
(Election Officials' Manual: Produced by the Electoral Commission of Ghana 1996)
The voter may be assisted by a person of his or her own choice.
It is necessary that poll worker record on the Voters Register that the
voter was assisted and the reason for the assistance." P 17
Promotes Access
Constitution:
(1992)
Section 29, subsection (6) states, "As far as practicable, every
place to which the public has access shall have the appropriate facilities for
disabled persons."