The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has clarified that cell phones will be allowed in polling stations for Local Government Elections on Monday, amid a recently published notice that was “unintentional”.
Previously, the Commission had stated in a June 9th notice that the use of cameras and/or cell phones inside of a polling station or voting compartment during the conduct of LGE is “strictly prohibited”.
However, on Saturday it clarified stating, “GECOM takes this opportunity to state categorically that the inclusion of cell phones in that notice was erroneous and unintentional. Accordingly, the general public is hereby informed that cell phones are not prohibited in polling stations.”
Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud informed at a press conference on Friday that photographs and the use of cameras are prohibited. As such, cell phones were included in the notice. However, he pointed out that it can disincentivise persons if this information is misinterpreted.
“This carries the potential of being misinterpreted and misused to the extent where voters may be told that you cannot bring a cell phone into the polling station. That in itself could be a disincentive insofar as persons coming to vote is concerned. We want to make it abundantly clear that this was never the intention,” Persaud informed the media.
Persons will cast their ballots on Monday and in the meantime, they can find out which polling station they are required to vote on the GECOM website.
A voter is entitled to vote by proxy at the upcoming elections if they might be unable to go to the Polling Station listed to vote. These circumstances include if they are a member of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force or constabulary officer; an employee running a vessel for the Transport and Harbours Department; if they are a candidate at the elections and would be unable to make it.
This is also open to voters who are election officers in a Local Authority Area other than the one which he/she is listed to vote; or for persons with a disability.
LGE, which is constitutionally due every two years, was last held in 2018. At the November 2018 local government polls, the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This had followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.
