Georgetown, Guyana – September 3, 2025 – Tension is mounting in Guyana’s most populous voting district as the opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has called for a recount of ballots in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
The request was confirmed by Elections Commissioner Sase Gunraj in a social media post on Tuesday, just hours after the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Returning Officer declared the results.
Those results reportedly showed a massive blow to APNU. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) reportedly secured 87,536 votes in the general elections and 87,018 in the regional contest. APNU trailed far behind with 46,956 and 46,772 respectively.
For many, the numbers tell a story of political upheaval. Region Four, home to Georgetown and nearly half the country’s voting population, has long been considered APNU territory. In past elections, the party’s dominance here was so strong that supporters often described the district as their “fortress.” But this time, the fortress walls appear to have collapsed.
On the streets of Georgetown, some voters expressed shock while others said the result reflected changing realities.
The call for a recount, however, stirs memories of the bitter 2020 election dispute. Back then, Region Four’s vote count became the epicenter of controversy, drawing international condemnation and sparking months of legal wrangling. That political crisis eventually led to a change in government.
This time, with Guyana’s oil-driven economy under the spotlight, both local and international observers are watching closely. Elections in Guyana have rarely been straightforward, and the stakes, political and economic, are higher than ever.
APNU has not yet explained its specific concerns with the declared results, but GECOM is expected to examine the recount request. Until then, the PPP/C holds a decisive lead in the country’s largest electoral prize.
