Two boxes show large number of rejected ballots for lack of six-digit stamp

The lack of the six-digit stamp for over 100 ballots has resulted in the two major political parties losing votes at the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.

On Thursday, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) revealed that Ballot Box Number 4583 at the Plindola Nursery School, Ogle, East Coast Demerara had 108 ballots rejected for want of the official six-digit stamp.

Of this total, 102 were PPP votes, Elections Agent, Anil Nandlall said.

On Wednesday, the incumbent APNU+AFC also revealed that Ballot Box Number 4549 at the Sophia Nursery School had 83 ballots rejected – 82 for lack of the stamp.

Of the total, 69 were votes for the coalition and 12 were for the PPP.

On the observation report for the Sophia Nursery School ballot box, the Presiding Officer (PO) wrote that the Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) folded the ballots incorrectly resulting in only part of the ballots being stamped.

“I immediately corrected her and showed her how to fold and stamp the ballots for the regular voters,” the PO wrote on the observation report.

The recount of ballots is ongoing at the Arthur Chung Conference Center with only Region 4 left to complete – this is Guyana’s largest voting district.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has not provided an overall total thus far of how many ballots were rejected due to the lack of the official stamp.

At the end of Wednesday, the PPP was ahead with 187,549 votes compared to 174,499 for APNU+AFC, a lead of 13,050 votes.