GECOM to remove names from voters list for those who do not collect ID cards within 21 days

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM will be publishing the names of in excess 25,000 persons who did not collect their national Identification Cards (ID) since 2008 along with sending an official notice to their address on record to collect same.

These persons will be given 21 days to collect their ID cards and failure to do so within the prescribed time will see their names being removed from the official list of electors for the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.

This decision was taken Tuesday by Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Rt’d) Claudette Singh during the statutory meeting. The Commission will later announce when this process will become effective.

“Should they fail to respond within 21 days, then their names will not be extracted to be included in the [Revised List of Electors] and the official List of Electors.

“It would only mean that if these persons exist, they may miss this round of elections…” Government nominated GECOM Commissioner Charles Corbin told reporters following the conclusion of the meeting.

Corbin said while those who fail to collect their ID cards will not be included on the list of electors, their names will remain on the National Register of Registrants (NRR).

Opposition nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj described the decision by the GECOM Chairman as “most egregious.”

“I am of the considered view that this is an unlawful decision because it imposes an additional requirement on persons to be allowed to vote and for that reason and that reason alone it can be considered unlawful,” Gunraj told reporters.

When the issue was first brought to the fore at GECOM’s October 15 meeting, Government nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander had argued that the Commission is using the ID card issue to determine the presence of the voters.

“Their whereabouts are unknown, we cannot be able to verify their existence…the issue is not the ID card, the issue is that these persons since 2008 and beyond have not presented themselves to be known, to be alive, to be existing, to be resident and the writing to them gives us the opportunity to make a determination in the context of an objection to say where are they,” Alexander had told the media.