Polling Day Agents Can’t Vote Outside Their District – GECOM Rules
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
Polling day party agents will not be allowed to vote outside of their home districts on election day. That was the decision taken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) following a majority vote during its meeting last Thursday.
The proposal, put forward by the three opposition-nominated commissioners, sought to allow polling agents assigned to work outside their voting divisions the opportunity to vote at their designated locations. However, the motion was rejected in a 4-3 vote.
Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander told reporters that the majority decision leaves the responsibility solely with political parties to ensure their agents can cast their ballots.
“A decision was taken that it is the function of the political parties to facilitate those persons voting, and GECOM will be of no assistance in that regard,” Alexander said.
He added that the opposition commissioners had supported a legislative amendment that would have allowed these agents to vote either through a certificate of employment or by proxy.
“We feel that every polling agent should be given an opportunity to vote, even if they are working away from where they’re registered. The Constitution says clearly there should be no impediment to a citizen casting their vote,” Alexander argued, citing potential disenfranchisement for agents stationed far from home.
However, government-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj pointed out that this is not a new issue, noting it was first raised during the 2011 general elections. He explained that political parties have long recognized the need to make arrangements to protect their agents’ right to vote.
Gunraj added that the Attorney General’s Chambers previously addressed the matter, and the amended legislation now allows for the appointment of alternate polling agents—a mechanism parties can use to avoid disenfranchisement.
“This is not an issue that came up for the first time,” Gunraj stated, “and the law already allows for alternate agents to be used, so the matter has been addressed.”
The debate underscores ongoing tensions over voter access and election-day operations, especially in light of Guyana’s geographically dispersed electorate and the role of party agents in safeguarding the electoral process.
