GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The main opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is demanding urgent action from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to tackle what it says is a growing threat to electoral integrity: voters being bribed to snap photos of their ballots in exchange for cash.
With just under a month to go before Guyanese head to the polls on September 1, APNU is calling for a complete ban on mobile phones inside polling booths. The party argues that such a move is crucial to protecting the secrecy of the vote — and to dismantling bribery tactics allegedly being used to influence vulnerable communities.
The opposition’s concerns are underscored by a controversial video circulating online, showing presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed handing out cash during a visit to an Indigenous village. Mohamed, who heads the newly-formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party and remains under U.S. sanctions, has been accused of using money and promises to secure political support — charges he has not directly addressed.
“This is about more than one candidate or one party,” APNU said in a press release Monday. “It’s about safeguarding the right of every Guyanese to vote freely and in secret.”
GECOM recently reminded political parties and voters that offering or accepting money for votes is illegal. But APNU believes the elections body left out a critical point: that taking photos of one’s marked ballot — a key method used to verify that a vote was cast as paid for — is also prohibited under the law.
Citing Section 77(2) of the Representation of the People Act, which criminalises inducing a voter to reveal their vote, and Section 130, which outlines penalties for election bribery, the opposition is pressing for GECOM to step up enforcement.
“The rule prohibiting the taking of photos of one’s vote must be publicised widely and enforced on E-day in all polling stations countrywide,” the party said, warning that the current silence on the issue could create loopholes for bad actors.
APNU also took aim at the “cash-for-votes culture” it says is creeping into Guyanese politics, warning voters not to be lured by “bribes waved in their faces by those who believe popularity could be bought.”
The party wants GECOM to go beyond issuing warnings. Among its suggestions are:
- A national public education campaign on ballot secrecy
- Clear enforcement protocols for polling day
- Anonymous hotlines for voters to report suspected bribery or coercion, to be operated by both GECOM and the Guyana Police Force
It’s not the first time the use of phones in voting areas has sparked controversy. During the 2023 Local Government Elections, GECOM banned mobile phones from polling booths. For the general elections, however, the Commission has not confirmed whether that policy will return, even though it has said that photographing ballots could lead to criminal prosecution.
Despite the mounting concerns, GECOM has not announced any investigation into Mohamed’s conduct. Still, it continues to warn that persons caught engaging in bribery could face fines, imprisonment, and disqualification from voting or running for office in future elections.
APNU is also calling on all contesting parties to “publicly endorse measures that protect the sanctity of the ballot,” suggesting that commitment to clean elections must come from across the political divide.
As the election date nears, concerns about vote-buying and ballot secrecy are threatening to overshadow the campaigns. For now, the pressure is on GECOM to prove that its commitment to free and fair elections goes beyond statements — and includes action.
