Guyana positioned to be global model for rapid, fair, free democracy – Carter Center

The Carter Center, which observed Guyana’s September 1 General and Regional Elections, has said the country has the opportunity to become a global example of how democracy can develop “rapidly, fairly, and in a truly free way.”
During a post-election press conference at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Georgetown, the mission’s leader, Jason Carter, praised the election process headed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as a strong demonstration of democratic maturity, describing the polls as peaceful, well-administered, and free of significant irregularities.

Additionally, Carter told reporters on Wednesday that Guyanese should take pride in the vibrancy of their democracy.
“We did not find any evidence that the list was manipulated. The answer to that question is no. We did not find any evidence that the list was manipulated… With respect to civil society and the impact of this sort of newfound wealth and the new revenue streams in this country, I mentioned it at the beginning: Guyana is positioned to be a global leader in how a democracy can develop rapidly, fairly, and in a really truly free way. But it is going to require investment in the institutions that you described with respect to civil society. The Carter Center essentially is a civil society organisation,” the mission’s leader said.
The Carter Center deployed 50 observers across all 10 electoral districts, covering 234 polling stations and all 17 tabulation centres. Carter noted that polling staff, party agents, and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) generally conducted themselves with professionalism. Social media monitoring also reflected overwhelmingly positive assessments of election-day conduct.
He also addressed concerns about delays in tabulating results, describing the process as “cumbersome but transparent”.
“Ninety-seven percent of the reports that we’ve received regarding tabulation recorded that that tabulation was being conducted in accordance with what was good. And all of them said that they were doing it in accordance with the law. So that process is cumbersome. But it is ongoing. It is transparent, and when it’s complete, I think people will have trust in the results,” Carter, the grandson of former US President Jimmy Carter, said.
Beyond Election Day, the Carter Center emphasised reforms needed to strengthen democracy in between election cycles. These include constitutional reform to build long-term trust between political parties, campaign finance laws and equal access to public information, particularly regarding contracts and decisions affecting citizens’ daily lives.
With Guyana’s oil wealth drawing global attention, Carter warned that the stakes extend far beyond the country’s borders.
Further, the Carter Center underscored that while Guyana’s democratic institutions are functioning, reforms and deeper investment in civil society will be essential if the country is to consolidate its gains.
“There’s always been a persistent complaint about the voters’ list,” Carter noted. He explained that while the Centre found no evidence of manipulation during this election, steps must be taken to improve credibility, particularly by ensuring that the names of deceased persons are efficiently removed. “There are international best practices to ensure accuracy, including addressing persons who die abroad. Starting there will go a long way in building confidence,” he said.
Guyanese went to the polls on Monday for the 2025 General and Regional Elections, and while the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has yet to officially declare the results, its online Statements of Poll are projecting that the incumbent Government is leading in at least eight of the ten administrative regions.
According to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), 757,690 electors were registered for the September 1 General and Regional Election at 2790 polling stations countrywide.
Six parties were contesting the elections.
Among them are the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance for Change (AFC),We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).
The declared results for each district published by GECOM show that President Irfaan Ali is projected to take office for a second term in Government as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) heads towards a resounding victory.