On June 6, 2025, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) voted against a proposal to allow political party agents to vote outside their designated districts on Election Day. The decision came after a debate among commissioners, with a majority, including Chairman Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, rejecting the proposal.
Commissioner Vincent Alexander, who supported the proposal, argued that polling agents should be allowed to vote where they work. However, the majority concluded that it is the responsibility of political parties to facilitate voting for their agents. Alexander noted that the proposal for legislative changes to allow voting by certificate of employment or proxy was rejected in a 4-3 vote.
Government-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj stated that this issue has been longstanding, having been raised since the 2011 General Elections. He pointed out that no provisions were made in the past elections for agents to vote outside their districts, and emphasized recent legislative changes allowing for alternate polling agents.
GECOM also discussed the voting eligibility of Commonwealth citizens residing in Guyana. While the Constitution specifies a one-year residency requirement, the commission could not reach a consensus and decided to maintain the status quo.
Other topics addressed included the proper stamping of ballots to ensure both sides are stamped before separation for elections, and proposals regarding the voters’ list for overseas-based Guyanese will be reviewed in the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
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