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Voter turnout for disciplinary services noteworthy – GECOM commissioners
Opposition appointed Commissioner Vincent Alexander
Kaieteur News – The participation of the joint services during Friday’s voting was noteworthy, according to commissioners attached to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Opposition nominated commissioner; Vincent Alexander told this publication that the turnout of the joint services voters could be above 70 percent. He asserted “Based on the numbers I observed today it is nothing outside of the ordinary I would say about 70 percent.”
Similarly, government nominated commissioner, Sase Gunraj said the number was noteworthy. Gunraj said “I can’t put a percentage or figure, but I would say it was a good turn out.”
Meanwhile, while speaking to reporters on the ground, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward explained that GECOM extracted and sorted the 10,481 ballots in the presence of political party agents to facilitate voting process for ranks.
She said that members of the disciplines forces were expected to vote across the 10 regions.
“We have, the Guyana Police Force with 6,999 ranks expected to vote, the Guyana Defence Force with 3106 ranks and the Guyana Prison Service with 466 members voting today. Now I want to clarify that these officers, were afforded the opportunity to vote in the district where they are assigned to work and not in the district where they are registered to vote. “
She noted that the ballots were carefully sorted and extracted for the joint services voting process.
Government appointed Commissioner, Sase Gunraj
Ward explained “So when the ballots arrived in country, we have gone through a process of extraction and sorting those 10,481 ballots. We have gone through a process of enveloping those ballots using two envelopes with the name and ID number of the elector on the outside and inner envelope contained in that ballot with just the region, where that officer is assigned or registered on the official list of electors.”
Further, she stated “Upon the close of poll today when those ballots are returned, those ballots will be sorted by the respective district, and they will be placed in secure custody…”
“We have gazetted the list of polling stations where those ballots will be intermixed on election day, which is 1st September. So those ballots will be counted in the respective district where the officers are registered to vote.”
Asked about turnout rate, Ward said GECOM will begin processing immediately after the polls close, and by Sunday, that exercise should be completed.
She further clarified an issue raised during Friday’s vote about ballots not being stamped.
“I want to particularly clarify that on discipline services balloting day, the ballots are not stamped with the six-digit number, but when they’re being intermixed at that polling station on election day, it is stamped with that six-digit number of that polling station and placed into that ballot box and intermixed for counting. That is what the legal process that is allowed for is,” Ward explained.
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