Disciplined Services record highest turnout since 2018 at 83% – GECOM

…probing minor ballot mix-up

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has reported that 83 per cent of the 10,481 members of the Disciplined Services successfully cast their ballots during Friday’s advance voting exercise, held ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections. Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud made the disclosure at a press briefing on Monday, noting that 5,729 police officers, 2,575 soldiers, and 397 prison officers exercised their franchise.
The turnout, Persaud said, represents the highest participation rate since the 2018 Local Government Elections, surpassing figures recorded in both the 2020 General and Regional Elections and the 2023 Local Government Elections.
Disciplined Services voting allows members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Guyana Prison Service (GPS) to cast their ballots ten days before the general population, ensuring that they are available for deployment at polling stations and other key locations on Election Day.
“We view the entire exercise as one which we believe was conducted in compliance with the laws and commission policy that guides the conduct of Discipline voters balloting. We did not receive the reports from the field that we believe could cast grave doubts on the manner in which that activity was conducted. At the end of the day when we would have done our internal work, we were able to conclude that the turnout for Discipline forces balloting was 83 per cent,” the CEO related.
Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Aneal Giddings commended the high level of participation, describing it as a positive sign of voter confidence and civic responsibility. He also confirmed that voting across 87 balloting stations was conducted smoothly, with ballots securely transported to GECOM’s headquarters following the close of polls. However, CEO Persaud acknowledged that an anomaly was detected during the post-voting ballot sorting process. He explained that District Four registered two additional ballots, while Districts Five and Ten were each short by one ballot.
An internal investigation has since been launched, and Persaud confirmed that a preliminary cause has been identified. A memo, including recommendations and corrective measures, will be presented to the seven-member Commission for review.
“This document will be submitted to the Commission before the end of the day. The commission meets tomorrow at which time I am sure the commission will discuss this and decide whether their approving the recommendations that we have made or not. It is only at point that we will be able to give you further information on this one,” he explained. Despite the irregularity, Persaud assured that the integrity of the process remains intact, emphasising that all ballots remain sealed and will only be intermixed with the general ballots on Election Day in the presence of political party agents. Now, the attention is placed on Election Day with over 750,000 electors slated to cast their ballots, as the country collectively determine the composition of Guyana’s 13th Parliament, with both national and regional seats up for grabs. Six political parties have had their Candidates Lists approved by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), effectively paving the way for them to contest the upcoming General and Regional Elections on September 1.
Among them is the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); the Alliance for Change (AFC); and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), led by United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, which will be contesting in all 10 Administrative Regions of Guyana.
The Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), led by former APNU/AFC Minister Simona Broomes, will be contesting in six regions, and Forward Guyana, led by former APNU parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir, will be contesting in seven regions.