The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) says “it has been a smooth day” as citizens await the outcome of Monday’s general and regional elections.
At a news conference, GECOM’s public relations officer, Yolanda Ward, cautioned voters against relying on unofficial figures posted online. She said it was wrong to suggest that ballot counting had started at any polling station, describing it as “this despicable act [that] can only be seen as creating a platform on which the political party…can create the impression that it has been successful at the polls.”
“GECOM takes the opportunity once again to appeal to all stakeholders to accept only the results of the elections that are posted on GECOM’s website in the form of statement of poll (SOP) to the official declarations made by …the returning officers…and the national results to be declared by GECOM,” Ward stressed.
She added that the release of fake results “will be put to the Guyana Police Force for investigation.”
Ward also pushed back against speculation about turnout, saying “it would also be prematurely [for us] to tell you about turnout… what might work for you may not work for us. But from a GECOM standpoint, as the electoral management body, I prefer for us to look at numbers before we make such a pronouncement on turnout. We have stayed away from preliminary results.”
“Again for us all, GECOM is the only authority to release the election results,” she told reporters, stressing that electors should only rely on information published by the Commission.
Ward said GECOM will investigate reports that at least one polling station had closed a minute before the official 6:00 p.m. end time. “We would have to look into that because the polling stations close at 6:00 pm,” she said.
She also apologized to members of the disability community after complaints about inadequate access at some polling sites. “I want to really apologise to the members of the disability community. I am very cognisant that this is an issue we continue to face,” Ward said, noting that some changes would require legislation. “Outside of that we may not be able to implement some of the recommendations.”
Ward explained that voters are legally required to cast ballots at specific stations within their divisions and subdivisions, meaning some with disabilities were assigned to sites lacking ramps or other facilities. She said presiding officers were instructed to provide assistance “to ensure persons with disabilities were still able to cast their ballots.”
To ensure counting could continue without delay, Ward said, “We have backup systems in place to allow for that. All polling stations [were] provided with solar lamps to facilitate that process.” She explained that, beyond the counting, the tabulation of SOPs must unfold. “At the offices of Returning Officers and Supernumerary Officers, backup systems are in place to allow for the backup and scanning of SOPs to take place uninterrupted.”
She also responded to concerns about voter eligibility, clarifying “questions raised over Bangladeshi nationals voting on Commonwealth identification cards, multiple voters registered at one address and procedures for individuals without ID cards.”
Six parties are contesting the elections — the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Alliance For Change (AFC), Forward Guyana Movement, and Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP).
Six candidates are running for president: incumbent President Irfaan Ali (PPP/C); Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton (APNU); attorney Nigel Hughes (AFC); Azruddin Mohamed (WIN); Amanza Walton-Desir (Forward Guyana Movement); and Dr. Simona Broomes (ALP).
There are 2,790 polling stations nationwide, observed by 500 local and 200 international observers. GECOM has said final results should be declared by September 4.
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