Georgetown, Guyana – Voters heading to the polls on September 1 for the General and Regional Elections will have to leave their phones behind, as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has announced a sweeping ban on cell phone use inside polling stations.
The commission made it clear on Tuesday that the decision is not up for debate. Large, bold notices will be posted at the entrance and throughout every polling station, spelling out in both words and pictures that cell phones are strictly prohibited.
According to GECOM, the drastic step is meant to safeguard the integrity of the ballot. Officials are especially concerned about attempts to photograph ballots, which they warn could be tied to vote selling and intimidation. “Every voter will be reminded of the need to turn off his or her cell phone before being given the ballot,” the commission stated, stressing that polling day staff will also make regular announcements in voter lines as an added safeguard.
The warning is serious: if a voter is caught attempting to snap a picture of their ballot, party agents and GECOM staff will raise an immediate alarm. The incident will be formally recorded and handed over to the Guyana Police Force for investigation.
To avoid such clashes, GECOM has designed a system in which each polling station will set up a designated desk or table near the voting compartments, where voters will be required to leave their phones before casting their ballots.
The ban comes as Guyana prepares for one of the most closely watched elections in recent years. With political parties locked in fierce competition, GECOM is presenting this move as a decisive action to maintain public confidence. The message to voters is clear: when you step into the polling booth on September 1, your phone stays out.
