Managing Election- Relation Violence for Democratic Stability in Ghana Introduction Since 1992, following the reintroduction of competitive politics under its fourth republican Constitution, Ghana has taken significant strides towards the consolidation of democracy. Notable among these efforts has been the successful conduct of five successive national elections, which have resulted in two uninterrupted transfers of power from the incumbent party to the opposition. These electoral advances over the last two decades (1992-2012) have taken place alongside considerable improvements in the performance of key institutions of state such as the Electoral Commission(EC), the judiciary and the security agencies(Gyimah-Boadi, 2009; Whitfield, 2009). During the same period, Ghana has also witnessed the emergence of a vibrant media and a multiplicity of civil society groupings, 1 which are all integral to the process of democratization. In spite of these developments, the future of Ghana's democracy remains uncertain, as it continues to grapple with persistent and multiple challenges that threaten to subvert the peace and security being enjoyed by Ghanaians. Perhaps the most insidious of these challenges is that posed by the phenomenon of election­related violence, which invariably accompanies all national elections in Ghana. These acts of violence, which usually involve threats and intimidation, physical and verbal assault, burning and looting of property, seizure of ballot boxes, and disruption of party rallies and polling stations, can cripple electoral processes and give rise to armed violence(CODEO, 2009; Aning, 2001; Gyampo, 2008). 1 For instance, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers(CODEO), one of the major local election watchdogs, has since 2000 contributed to the validation of electoral processes in Ghana through the deployment of observers during elections. 34