Another GECOM meeting ends in division as opposition raises concerns over several voting issues

Another statutory meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) ended on Thursday with division, as APNU+AFC nominated commissioners raised concerns and objections on several electoral matters.

The discord follows a walkout by the opposition during last Tuesday’s meeting, which ended abruptly. The central issues raised this week revolved around voting rights for prisoners, the ability of polling agents to vote and voting eligibility of Commonwealth citizens residing in Guyana among others.

Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman were vocal in their calls for GECOM to implement systems that would allow prisoners to vote. They also raised renewed concerns about the long-standing issue of polling agents being unable to vote at polling stations where they are not registered but are assigned to work on polling day, as well as the legal status of Commonwealth citizens voting in Guyana.

PPP/C-nominated commissioner Sase Gunraj, during a virtual engagement with the press Thursday afternoon said two critical issues dominated Thursday’s discussions.

“The matter of polling agents voting where they’re not registered has been around since at least 2011,” Gunraj noted.

“It was resolved in the 2015 and 2020 elections, where no facilities were made for such agents to cast their ballots.”

Gunraj pointed out that while the issue seems straightforward, it consumed nearly two hours of the meeting.

He explained that the matter was already addressed through legislative amendments that now allow political parties to appoint both a primary and an alternate polling agent. This enables one agent to vote at their place of registration while the other maintains presence at the polling station.

Another issue discussed was the stamping of ballots. Gunraj explained that commissioners agreed on a process where, once a ballot is unfolded, if only one half is stamped before separation, the presiding officer will ensure the second half is also stamped prior to final separation.

On the matter of Commonwealth citizens voting, the discussion centred around the legal definitions of “domicility” versus “residency.”

The current law allows for Commonwealth citizens residing in Guyana for a year or more to vote.

 “This is not unique to Guyana; it is a provision mirrored in several other Commonwealth jurisdictions,” Gunraj said.

As for the proposal to enable prisoners to vote, Gunraj was clear that GECOM’s role is limited.

“GECOM’s hands are tied. We’re not taking away anyone’s right to vote, but in the absence of legislation covering voting rights for incarcerated persons, we cannot make up rules to facilitate that. GECOM doesn’t make laws,” he stressed.

Asked whether the matter remains open for discussion, Gunraj stated firmly:

“In my mind, this is a concluded matter.”

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