General elections were held in Ghana on 7 December 2008.Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta Mills. Mills was certified as the victor in the run-off election on January 3, 2009, by a margin of less than one percent.

The following eight candidates formally registered with the Electoral Commission of Ghana (2008).
Kwabena Adjei – A managing director of a timber company representing the Reformed Patriotic Democrats
Nana Akufo-Addo – The former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and a current member of Parliament representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP)
Kwasi Amoafo-Yeboah – An independent candidate
Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi – Representing the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP)
Edward Nasigri Mahama – Representing the People's National Convention (PNC)
John Atta Mills – The former Vice-President representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Paa Kwesi Nduom – The former Minister for Economic Planning & Regional Cooperation, Minister for Energy, Minister for Public Sector Reform, and a current member of Parliament representing the Convention People's Party (CPP)
Thomas Nuako Ward-Brew – Representing the Democratic People's Party (DPP)