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Disciplined Forces vote in relatively smooth LGE process
…GECOM to investigate omission of names from voters’ list
A GDF rank votes at Base Camp Ayanganna yesterday
Hundreds of members from the Disciplined Forces turned out to designated polling places across the country to cast the first set of votes in this year’s Local Government Elections (LGE).
A total of 7,918 officers from the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force and Guyana Prison Service were expected to vote at 63 locations countrywide.
While the voting process went relatively smoothly at most locations, by midday reports had reached the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that some persons turned out to vote only to find their names not on the voters’ list.
GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward told Kaieteur News that an investigation has been launched to determine what may have led to the names being omitted. Ward indicated that the reports are not widespread.
“The names of these officers that voted were submitted upon request of GECOM from the respective agencies. Whatever is the list that was provided to us, that was the list that we worked with. That omission could very much be on the disciplined services,” Ward stated.
She indicated that the omission of the names could be due to an officer not residing in a Local Authority Area (LAA). However, Ward stated that the officers whose names were omitted from the list will get an opportunity to vote on November 12, providing that they live in a LAA.
“An officer’s name not being on the list does not mean that he or she was omitted from the list. GECOM has started to investigate the cases to ascertain the reasons for the omission,” Ward noted.
At the army’s Base Camp Ayanganna, soldiers utilised three stations to cast their votes. When Kaieteur News visited, there was a staggered line of voters. Early indications were that there was a low voter turnout. In Georgetown, voting also took place at the Georgetown Prison Officers’ Conference Room for prison officers, while police officers voted at the Brickdam Police Station.
At these stations, there was an indication of low voter turnout. According to Ward, this was also the case at most polling stations.
“The general observation was that we had a low turnout with the officers trickling in bit by bit,” Ward noted. She indicated that in the latter stages of the day, there might have been more persons turning out.
Ward said that the ballot boxes will be transported to GECOM headquarters on High Street under ‘tight security’ where they will be stored before being distributed to the respective LAAs for final counting following the November 12 general vote.
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