Social Media and Elections in Ghana: Enhancing Democratic Participation

Abstract

This paper discusses the various roles and contributions that the media, particularly social media, have played in the democratic journey of Ghana. The focus is on the 2012 and 2016 elections, though the country returned to multiparty democracy in 1992. A review of literature and the deployment of quantitative methodological tools helped unpack the inherent dynamics of the users of social media, mostly the youth. The key questions tested revolve around political knowledge, efficacy and participation. The intensity with which social media is becoming a key feature in Ghana’s democracy is explained and the study’s findings support this claim. Imperatively, access to new communication technologies such as the Internet and mobile telephony are promoting democratic discourses and enhancing participation through social media platforms.