LGE 2023: PPP/C secures landslide victory at LGE as GECOM releases preliminary results

– wins 66 of 80 LAAs
– claims 7 of 10 townships
– votes in GT double from 2018

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has scored a landslide victory at this year’s Local Government Elections (LGE), sweeping 66 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) across the country.
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) began releasing results on its website on Tuesday, one day after citizens exercised their franchise at the polls.
Preliminary results showed that the governing PPP/C won 62 of the LAAs and tied with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in four areas. However, since the PPP/C received the majority of votes cast, it will assume chairmanship.

This time around, the PPP/C has scored bigger. In 2018, when it was in Opposition, the Party had secured 52 of the LAAs. In fact, this year, APNU only managed to win 14 – a dip when compared to 23 in 2018.
At a press conference on Tuesday, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo announced that there were massive gains for the Party, whether by outright wins or making inroads in the Opposition’s strongholds.
“This is clearly a wipeout…That’s the definition of a massive victory. That is how you define landslide, not by winning a constituency in Georgetown that you have won for 60 years. A landslide is the total number of areas contested and the party that won the most, and we won 66,” he contended.
Meanwhile, the PPP/C has won the majority of votes in seven of the country’s 10 townships. These include Mabaruma, Mahdia, Lethem, Corriverton, Rose Hall, Bartica and Anna Regina while APNU managed to regain the majority in Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and Linden – two municipalities less than the last polls.

Mabaruma
In Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini), the PPP/C won 12 seats while APNU secured two. Previously, the PPP/C had eight seats. APNU received 497 votes while PPP got 1491. There were 55 rejected ballots.
“We have increased another town and our support there too,” Jagdeo commented.

Anna Regina
In Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the PPP/C won 15 seats while APNU only secured one. The PPP/C copped 3657 votes while APNU got 505. There were 57 rejected ballots.
Previously, the Party had secured 12 of 16 seats for that municipality.

Rose Hall
In Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the PPP/C won 11 seats while APNU managed to grasp three. The PPP/C got 1008 votes while APNU received 447. There were 21 rejected ballots.

Corriverton
The PPP/C also won all of the constituencies in the town of Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). In one of the constituencies, more persons voted for a deceased candidate of the PPP/C than the APNU representative. The PPP got 2314 votes while APNU got 508.
“One of the candidates unfortunately passed away and you cannot replace the candidate before the election…But they didn’t win the area, because although the guy passed away, he still secured the votes which means that they don’t want an APNU person to take control.”

Bartica
In Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the PPP/C won the majority of the votes. In 2018, APNU got 1443 votes and the PPP/C got 1144 and AFC 470, but this year, APNU got 1601 and the PPP increased its numbers to 1787.
“Isn’t that a major change? That’s the definition of change. People rejected APNU in Bartica,” Jagdeo expressed.

Mahdia
In Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), the PPP/C also won the majority of votes, with APNU securing 327 votes and the PPP/C, 330 votes. This gives both parties an equal number of seats.

Lethem
In Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the PPP/C had a clean sweep of all 10 seats as there was no contest in that township. In 2018, the PPP/C secured three out of the five seats, with APNU earning the other two.

New Amsterdam
Over at New Amsterdam, Region Six, the PPP/C won six seats with 2336 votes and APNU won eight with 3074 ballots in its favour. In 2018, APNU had 11 seats and the PPP/C had three when those results were tabulated, pointing to dwindling support for the former.

Linden
Votes in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) at this year’s polls reflected a win for APNU with 8002 votes. The PPP/C’s votes moved from 402 in 2018 to 2464, earning it two seats as opposed to one at the last LGE. APNU will take up 14 seats on the Town Council.
Reflecting on the Party’s 500 per cent increase in votes, Jagdeo disclosed, “These are not small numbers; 2000 votes more is a significant amount of votes and that is what happened in Linden.”

Georgetown
Finally, in Georgetown, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) while GECOM is yet to release the preliminary results, the PPP declared that it has won five of the 15 constituencies, an increase from three in 2018. In 2018, the PPP had secured 6813 votes, but at this year’s polls, ballots in its favour almost doubled to 12,256.
The Party’s support base increased in areas such as Kingston, Sophia, Albouystown, Tucville, East Ruimveldt, and West Ruimveldt. Commenting on this development, Jagdeo said he was pleased with such a turnout in their favour.
“That is major by any standard when you can increase your votes so significantly. We have increased our votes by nearly 6000 in the city…It’s evenly spread across Georgetown if you look at the results. This is like the definition of a wipeout in your base. This is the definition of massive victory in your strongholds,” the General Secretary told media operatives.