GECOM says to wait on official numbers for voter turnout

While many observers reported what appeared to be a low voter turnout during Monday’s General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has urged caution and says only official figures will provide a true picture.

Speaking at a post-poll press conference at the Commission’s media centre at the Regency Suites Hotel in Georgetown, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, said it was premature to make pronouncements based on impressions.

“I like to deal with numbers, and so to prematurely tell you about turnout will be really a little bit of observation. What might work for you may not work for us. But from a GECOM standpoint, as the electoral management body, I prefer for us to look at numbers before we make such a pronouncement on turnout,” Ward told reporters.

Turnout has been a keenly watched issue in this year’s election cycle. At the last General and Regional Elections in 2020, voter turnout was estimated at between 70 and 72 per cent.

Just last week, GECOM reported an 83 per cent turnout among the Disciplined Services, who traditionally cast their ballots ahead of the general public.  That figure was slightly higher than the 81.8 per cent recorded in 2020.

While official numbers from Monday’s voting are not yet available, Ward stressed that GECOM’s responsibility is to present accurate, verified data. The Commission is expected to provide turnout statistics once all the relevant information is collated from across the country.

In the meantime, Ward reiterated that voting proceeded largely smoothly and peacefully, with procedural issues addressed transparently as they arose.