Early voting, mistrust, disturbances and arrests; features of E-Day

Story and Photos by Leroy Smith and Royan Abrams  

Voters across Guyana seem to have heeded the calls by their respective parties to head out to the polls early. From all indications, there was a record number of early voters in these elections.

The Guyana Elections Commission had a total of two thousand three hundred and thirty-nine polling stations that catered for six hundred and sixty thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight official electors.

Early Voting

A visually impaired young man stands in line at a polling station before polls opened on Monday

In several communities across the country, residents were up as early as 04:00 Am, two hours ahead of the official opening of polling stations. There were the sounds of whistles, knocking of pots and saucepans, banging on gates and the calling out to residents with the use of bullhorns to get them to come out and vote early.

Mistrust

Once voting was completed in some communities, residents returned to their homes while others stayed or took turns watching over polling stations. Representatives of the major political parties had called on their supports to be vigilant especially during the close of polls.

Hours after the close of pools, these women sat across the road from the poling station until the ballot boxes escorted out

Disturbances

There were issues of disturbances at polling stations in Regions 3 and 4. In one case some were accused of issuing fate identification cards to prospecting voters while in another case there was the claim that persons who were not authorized to be in the polling station were present inside a polling station. There was also a development where the police were called in as a person reportedly attempted to vote twice; something that is considered an election offense.

Arrests

Meanwhile, on Monday evening, close to one dozen men were arrested by the police and escorted to the Alberttown Police Station after it was found that they were in possession of guns, ammunition, and bulletproof vests while being close to a polling station in the station district.

Voters claimed that the men reportedly attempted to remove ballot boxes but this publication was told by other persons that the men were attempting to escort a polling staff with Statements of Poll. Divisional Commander of Regional Division 4-A confirmed that the men were arrested but could not say exactly how men persons were arrested, this is after he had initially indicated that five persons were arrested.

Some of the men detained by the police being escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department

Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Edgar Thomas said that while his division started the initial investigation, the matter has since been taken over by the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, major Crimes Unit.

Thomas said that he was is no report that the men attempted to cart off any ballot boxes. He, however, confirmed that based on what was communicated to detectives by the men, they claim to be working for a popular security firm in Georgetown.

The men were also accused of moving around in two vehicles, one of which carried a false registration plate. This evening an attorney at law called this publication to indicate that the police were not granting him access to see his clients and that his clients were being grilled in his absence.

The process

A large number of persons who exercised their franchise on Monday in the General and Regional Elections indicated to BIG Smith News Watch that the process was a smooth one while some did express concerns about some minor hiccups.

Reps from an Overseas Observer Mission exiting a polling place in Berbice on E-Day

In Berbice,  one young voter told BIG Smith News Watch’s Royan Abrams that she was among the first in line to vote at the Eversham Primary School. She identified herself as Shanice Joseph and said that she is a University Student and noted that the elections are important to her as she is looking forward to free tertiary education.

On the East Bank Demerara, one woman who did not go to the polls indicated that she registered to vote in Port Kaituma but due to her inability to return home for these elections, voting was not possible.

Notable on Monday also was the number of persons with permanent or temporary disabilities who showed up at the polls, some aided and others on their own to exercise their franchise.

Results

Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission Keith Lowenfield told the press at a media conference after the close of polls, that tabulation of the votes would commence later on Monday evening and that following that process, the statements of polls would be posted at the respective polling stations.

Lowenfield noted that the respective Returning officers will be declaring their regional tabulations after same is verified by those submitting their tallies, following which a chain of command for the escalating of the overall results would be escorted to the Chief Elections Officer.

There has been no time-frame yet given on the actual period for the declaration f the official results of the elections.