In the wake of Ghana's recent elections and the variety of accusations being thrown at various parties, individuals and organisations for election mis-this and election mis-that, I propose the idea of the Open Secret Ballot.
Picture this: It's 3.00 AM on Election Day and electoral officials are busy mounting as many teak poles (or galvanized iron ones depending on the vicinity) as there are presidential aspirants, at various polling stations. Each pole will fly the flag of the candidate that it represents.
With this done, voters will begin to trickle in starting 7.00 AM to queue up in front of the pole that represents the candidate of their choice. This will continue until 5.00PM (or noon if everyone wants to get it over with), at which time no one else will be able to join any of the queues. Then the officials begin a tally of the number of individuals lined up before a given pole.
What a waste of one's energy, you say? Bring a chair (someone did during the queuing for the secret ballot); bring your laptop; bring a novel; bring your lunch. So what if productivity in nearly zero on that day? Well, what about the net alleviation of the reduction in productivity that results after every secret ballot when workers spend hours lambasting this person or the other for causing an outcome that is not in their favour?
The Open Secret Ballot: Queue And Be Counted Or Have Yourself To Blame.
