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Feb 21, 2016 News
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is ensuring that voting procedures for the Local Government Elections are observed and maintained in accordance to the Local Authorities Law.
In a release on Wednesday, GECOM noted that members of the Commission recently met with representatives of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) who expressed concerns of transparency regarding the elections; more specifically, the Disciplined Forces Balloting which is scheduled for March 8, 2016.
GECOM noted these concerns and assured the PPP and all other stakeholders contesting in the Local Government Elections that the systems employed to execute the success of the voting process is bounded by transparency and fairness.
“As the institution responsible for managing the electoral process in Guyana, we understand and support all fundamentals of democracy and the constitutional rights of all stakeholders,” GECOM said in statement yesterday
To ensure pellucidity for the upcoming Local Government Elections, GECOM has provided an outline of conduct and procedure. These are similar to those provided in the Manual for Polling Day Officials, posted on the GECOM website and in effect are definitive responses to the concerns raised at the aforementioned meeting.
Polling Stations
Polling Stations are managed by strict guidelines and modes of conduct. Personnel working there include Polling Agents, who are official representatives of Parties and Groups contesting the polls. They ensure that voting is conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Local Authorities Elections Act Cap 28:03.
A Polling Agent must also witness the examination and sealing of the ballot box and the opening and closing of the poll. They are required to sign the Poll Book as a witness, sign the Statement of Poll as a witness and uplift a copy for his/her Political Party.
They should also accompany the ballot box in the same vehicle, if space is available. The structure and operations therefore, do not prevent Poll Agents to act within the context of specified roles.
Police presence at Polls
A Police Officer is assigned to each Polling Station under the supervision of the Presiding Officer to provide security, to assist the Presiding Officer in maintaining order, to monitor and control the activities of the electors within the 200 yards limits.
The Police Officer may be instructed by the Presiding Officer to stand at the end of the queue at 6:00 p.m., if necessary. The entire balloting process occurs within the Polling Station.
Disciplined Services Balloting
The respective Lists of Electors who are Members of the Disciplined Forces are currently being prepared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in collaboration with Senior Representatives from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS). A copy of this list will be issued to all stakeholders.
The Ballots cast by members of the Disciplined Forces will be sorted according to respective Local Authorities and Constituencies to be dispatched to the respective Returning Officers for intermixing on Election Day — March 18, 2016.
The packing of Ballot Boxes to be dispatched to the Ballot Stations in each Municipality or Neighbourhood Democratic Council will be carried out under appropriate and adequate supervision of GECOM personnel and witnessed by Agents/Representatives of the contesting Political Parties/Voluntary Groups/Individual Candidates.
All Ballot Boxes will be returned to GECOM after D- Day voting Tuesday, March 8, 2016 and kept in the secured custody of the Chief Election Officer under guard by Members of the Guyana Police Force. The Ballots cast by members of the Disciplined Forces will be sorted by Local Authority and Constituency to be dispatched to the respective Returning Officers for intermixing on Election Day, which is, March 18, 2016.
The Polling Stations identified for the intermixing of the Disciplined Forces ballots will be gazetted. The Ballots cast by Members of the Disciplined Forces will be distributed on Election Day, by the Returning Officers to the relevant Presiding Officers, to be intermixed and counted at the identified/gazetted Polling Stations.
The respective Lists of Members of the Disciplined Forces will be scrutinized to determine the electors who had already voted on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. This is done in order to prevent those electors of the Disciplined Forces from voting again on E- Day.
Elector Without ID Card
Some members in the Disciplined Forces, especially those deployed in the hinterland, are sometimes, for varied reasons, unable to be in possession of their identification cards on Elections Day. In these cases the following procedures are observed: states his/her name to Poll Clerk; Poll Clerk checks the Official List of Electors to ensure that the name appears; Poll Clerk enquires about elector’s National Identification Card; If elector states that he/she has not uplifted his/her National Identification Card;
The Poll Clerk will direct him/her to another section of the building or to a nearby building where he/she should retrieve his/her Identification Card. If elector states that he/she is without or has misplaced his/her Identification Card for whatever reasons, he/she is referred to the Presiding Officer.
The Presiding Officer shall interview the elector in accordance with directions from the Commission, and after he/she is satisfied with the identity of the elector, he/she shall permit the elector to vote in the same manner as if his National identified card was produced.
The elector must take an “Oath of Identity” which is administered by the Presiding Officer/Ballot Officer, as mandated by law. GECOM has folios of all these persons and their photos are contained therein.
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