Ghana Supreme Court mandates 'one member, one vote' for party primaries, experts urge state funding

The Ghana Supreme Court issued a 5‑2 ruling on July 29 that all registered members in good standing of political parties must be allowed to vote in the selection of party leaders and candidates, replacing the long‑standing delegate system with a "one member, one vote" framework.

Oliver Barker‑Vormawor, Constitutional Rights and Policy Strategy Advisor at Democracy Hub, welcomed the decision, saying cost concerns should not impede deeper internal democracy. He argued that while nationwide primaries will require greater resources, the state already funds party primaries through the Electoral Commission, noting, "We have to admit to ourselves that there is already enough state funding that goes into our political parties' primaries." Barker‑Vormawor called for broader state support to ensure the new system can be implemented effectively.

He emphasized that the presence of the Electoral Commission in supervising elections means taxpayers are already contributing to internal party contests, and that the financial implications should be viewed within the broader context of public investment in Ghana’s democratic institutions.