Georgetown, Guyana – August 26, 2025 – With just days to go before Guyanese head to the polls, an alleged brazen case of fraud in Region Four has ignited fresh fears about the integrity of the voter list. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that an individual tried to obtain a fraudulent ID card by using the registration details of another voter, a move that could have allowed an imposter to cast a ballot.
Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud revealed on Monday that the case is now in the hands of the police, who have collected statements from officials involved and are preparing to submit their report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
“They are at a stage of submitting a report to the DPP for advice and it is only then they will be able to give me an update on this matter,” Persaud told reporters.
The scandal unfolded when the legitimate voter noticed his records had been tampered with on the Official List of Electors (OLE). Investigators later discovered that someone had filed for both a replacement ID card and a change of address in his name.
GECOM’s own probe found that registration staff in Region Four ignored basic safeguards and breached standard operating procedures. Alarmingly, the staff who processed the fraudulent application “could not provide logical explanations” for their actions.
Though the unlawful transaction was caught and reversed within the statutory 21-day review period, questions now swirl about the system’s vulnerability. GECOM said the fraudulent ID card was never issued and remains in its possession, awaiting destruction.
Still, the incident has sparked concern that weaknesses in the registration process could be exploited to undermine confidence in the elections. With tensions already running high, critics warn that even a single breach is enough to shake public trust.
For GECOM, the timing could not be worse. With the nation watching every move in the run-up to the 2025 General and Regional Elections, the pressure is now on to prove that Guyana’s voter rolls, and its democracy, remain secure.
