The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is once again promising an early release of results for the General and Regional Elections, now set for September 1, 2025. If all goes according to plan, and in the absence of major delays or recounts, Guyanese could know the outcome by election night or the following day.
Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud gave this assurance on Monday during a press briefing after Nomination Day activities at the Umana Yana, where seven political parties officially submitted their lists of candidates.
These include the incumbent People’s Progressive Party (PPP), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance for Change (AFC), and newcomer We Invest in the Nation (WIN). “We are earmarked to have declarations done by the night of, or the day after elections,” Persaud said.
His remarks mirror past assurances made by the electoral body, particularly during the 2020 elections when early results were also promised, but ultimately delayed due to disputes and legal challenges.
Still, Persaud expressed confidence that GECOM is better prepared this time around. Staff are fully trained, he said, and international observers are already in Guyana to monitor the process. Security protocols have also been enhanced, with special emphasis on the tabulation of votes and the transparency of the count.
As part of these efforts, GECOM plans to post Statements of Poll (SOPs) online as they are processed, allowing the public and stakeholders to follow the results in real time. “You can be sitting in your living room doing your own tabulation,” Persaud said.
However, he acknowledged that any request for a recount could delay the final declaration. “If there is not [a recount], I think by the second day after elections we should have a national declaration,” he added.
GECOM’s credibility remains under close watch after the highly contentious 2020 polls, and the early results promise will be tested once again this year.
