Ahead of 2025 polls: GECOM rolls out revised election day manuals, training

In the wake of recent electoral reforms enacted by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has officially released its revised training manuals for the upcoming elections and commenced the training of polling day staff in accordance with these updated guidelines.
According to GECOM on Monday, the manuals which were prepared by their Secretariat in accordance with the relevant legal provisions, as well as with input from the Parliamentary Political Parties who reviewed the manuals and provided their feedback, are now available for public perusal.
Two manuals have been compiled for the elections and are now available on GECOM’s website. The first is a manual for Returning Officers, Supernumerary Returning Officers and Other Election Officials, while the second is for Presiding Officers and Other Polling Day Officials.
These manuals are a product of changes made by the PPP/C Government to the Representation of the People’s Act (ROPA), which had included amendments to require GECOM to produce training manuals for its staff, month ahead of elections, that would ensure polling day agents and senior officials do not deviate from the GECOM’s mandate.
“Both Manuals were used for the training of Management Staff for the upcoming elections. In fact, the Manuals were provided beforehand via email to all persons who applied for appointment as temporary Management Staff for the upcoming elections,” GECOM explained in a statement.
GECOM also explained that training is currently underway for Polling Day staff to fill the positions of Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, Poll Clerks, and Ballot Clerks for the upcoming elections.
“Applicants are urged to access and study the Official Manual for Presiding Officers and Other Polling Day Officials. The Commission is also encouraging all stakeholders, to access the manuals from the training resource hub to familiarise themselves with the legal and procedural requirements for the conduct of General and Regional Elections,” the election agency added.
With elections constitutionally due this year, GECOM has already engaged representatives of the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada and the European Union (EU) regarding sending observer missions to Guyana for this year’s polls.

Last year, the ABCE diplomatic missions in Guyana – US, Britain, Canada and the EU – had also engaged GECOM on support for the upcoming polls, which is likely to be held in November 2025.
It was only last week that it was announced that GECOM will be receiving support to enhance its institutional capacity and strengthen electoral processes ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections through a more than $200 million programme that is being funded by the UK Government with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Electoral Support Project will provide high-level technical assistance, international expertise and best practices to support GECOM’s core activities in administering elections that meet international standards.
The project is designed to support both the immediate and longer-term needs of GECOM in managing the 2025 electoral cycle and will continue through to March 2026. The UK has allocated some £750,000 or G$208.9 million to support this initiative, while the UNDP will oversee its implementation.
A joint statement on Friday last, explained that this partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in bolstering national systems through the application of global best practices tailored to Guyana’s unique political and cultural context.
It added that building on the lessons learnt during previous electoral cycles, there is strong commitment and renewed emphasis on fostering transparency, trust, and inclusive participation in the electoral process.
The key objectives of the project include technical support for 2025 Elections, which will see the deployment of senior international electoral experts, who will be based within GECOM to provide technical advice and support to strengthen processes such as communications, operations and logistics, etc, for the preparation, management and conduct of the elections.
Another focus of the initiative will be capacity building. This includes institutional strengthening of GECOM’s operational systems, human resources, and technical capacity for sustainable electoral administration.
The project will also prioritise improved communications and stakeholder engagement with enhanced public information strategies and fostering more inclusive engagement among electoral stakeholders to promote transparency and trust.