Free and Fair Elections Index in Ghana
Ghana: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.709 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Free and Fair Elections Index in Ghana, 1902–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for free and fair elections index in Ghana is 0.709, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 7.9% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Ghana peaked at 0.804 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1902.
That places Ghana 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Free and Fair Elections Index in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0 | — |
| 1947 | 0 | — |
| 1948 | 0 | — |
| 1949 | 0 | — |
| 1950 | 0 | — |
| 1951 | 0.578 | — |
| 1952 | 0.656 | +13.5% |
| 1953 | 0.656 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.647 | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 0.614 | -5.1% |
| 1956 | 0.618 | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 0.643 | +4.0% |
| 1958 | 0.648 | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 0.639 | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 0.538 | -15.8% |
| 1961 | 0.49 | -8.9% |
| 1962 | 0.49 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.49 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.461 | -5.9% |
| 1965 | 0.453 | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 0.067 | -85.2% |
| 1967 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0.191 | — |
| 1970 | 0.558 | +192.1% |
| 1971 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.018 | -96.8% |
| 1973 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1974 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0.408 | — |
| 1980 | 0.752 | +84.3% |
| 1981 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0.067 | — |
| 1993 | 0.421 | +528.4% |
| 1994 | 0.421 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.421 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.45 | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 0.633 | +40.7% |
| 1998 | 0.633 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.633 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.641 | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 0.753 | +17.5% |
| 2002 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.762 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.753 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.752 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.796 | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 0.796 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.796 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.804 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.753 | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.747 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.731 | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.756 | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 0.753 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.753 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.734 | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 0.634 | -13.6% |
| 2022 | 0.627 | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 0.64 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 0.657 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 0.709 | +7.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 0.709 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.321, 2.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 0.709 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2905, 2.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +528.4% | 0.067 | 0.421 |
| 1970 | +192.1% | 0.191 | 0.558 |
| 1967 | -100.0% | 0.067 | 0 |
| 1973 | -100.0% | 0.018 | 0 |
| 1981 | -100.0% | 0.752 | 0 |
| 1972 | -96.8% | 0.558 | 0.018 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.5699 | 0 | 0.656 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.318 | 0 | 0.538 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1542 | 0 | 0.558 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0752 | 0 | 0.752 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3679 | 0 | 0.633 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7469 | 0.641 | 0.796 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7642 | 0.731 | 0.804 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6668 | 0.627 | 0.734 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 63 Colombia 0.756 compare
- 64 Sao Tome and Principe 0.753 compare
- 65 Solomon Islands 0.748 compare
- 67 North Macedonia 0.701 compare
- 67 Senegal 0.701 compare
- 69 Nepal 0.693 compare
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Ghana?
- Free and fair elections index in Ghana was 0.709 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 0.804 in 2012.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1902.
- How does Ghana rank for free and fair elections index?
- Ghana ranks 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Free and Fair Elections Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 124 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which registration fraud, systematic irregularities, government intimidation of the opposition, vote buying, and election violence are absent, and the election management body is autonomous and has enough staff and resources.