The Dispatch, predicting excitement in the presidential race than the parliamentary in the December 7 elections, says its research points to a potential second round voting for the candidate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Prof. J.E. Atta Mills and Mr J.A. Kufuor, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The paper says its research into voter representation in the 1996 elections showed that President Rawlings' 57.4 % performance was dependent on his popularity that ensured him electoral victories in some areas where the NDC had even lost in the parliamentary.

The NPP's score of 65.8 per cent and 43.3 per cent of votes cast in Ashanti and Greater Accra regions respectively, were however through voting on party lines rather than being personality based.

The story says even without the National Reform Party (NRP), the NDC candidate, Prof. Atta Mills, would have had to work real hard to get the required 50 per cent plus one vote.

"Thus, with the advent of the REFORM, no matter how one views their support base, there is little doubt most of the votes they would be getting would be coming from the NDC's basket", the paper said.