Cellphones in polling booths an attack on democracy

Aug 10, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The recent decision by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to allow voters to bring cellphones into voting booths is not just reckless. It is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy. This policy threatens the secrecy of the ballot and undermines the hard-fought gains won by generations of labour leaders and activists who struggled for free and fair elections.

Leaders like Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow and countless others sacrificed much to secure the right to vote in secret. They understood that the ballot must remain private to protect voters from intimidation, coercion and corruption. These are not abstract ideals. They are the bedrock of a democratic society that respects every citizen’s dignity and freedom.

We have seen the consequences when secrecy is broken. In past elections, voters were forced to take photos of their marked ballots to “prove” how they voted, often in exchange for jobs, contracts or money. This practice of “proof voting” turns democracy into a transaction and strips voters of their independence. It is a form of modern-day voter manipulation that we must reject outright.

Allowing cellphones inside voting booths opens the door to this abuse on a large scale. It hands corrupt actors the tools to coerce and monitor voters, destroys trust in the electoral process, and jeopardises the credibility of our elections.

We should not allow this assault on our democratic rights to stand. The secrecy of the ballot protects the worker, the poor, and the marginalised from exploitation by those with power and money.

GECOM must act immediately to reverse this dangerous policy and ban all electronic devices from voting booths. The integrity of our elections depends on it.

To every Guyanese—worker, student and citizen—I say stand firm. Demand that your vote remains private and free. The struggle for democracy is ongoing and we must defend the sacred right to vote in secret with unwavering resolve.

Lincoln Lewis

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