DECLARATIONS of the 2015 General and Regional elections were made yesterday by the Returning Officers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the final results will be disclosed today at noon.GECOM said, “Relative to the process of declaring the results, those results have now been declared by the respective Returning Officers for the ten Electoral Districts. However, parties may raise objections by midday of the day after the last of the ten declarations.
“For that reason, since the last declaration was made this morning, Friday May 15, 2015, the Commission has to wait until noon on Saturday May 16, 2015 before it can pronounce on a final declaration. This is the law.”
Additionally, GECOM acknowledged the state of anxiety that pervades the atmosphere and called for patience.
“The Guyana Elections Commission is quite aware of the anxiety that prevails at this time in relation to the final declaration of the 2015 elections results….the Commission is therefore asking the public to bear with it until midday of Saturday May 16, 2015, before it advises on the next stage of the declaration of results,” the Commission said.
GECOM’s numbers indicated that APNU+AFC secured some 206, 817 votes in the General elections, while the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) received the support of 201,457 voters in the May 11 national polls. At the regional elections, the PPP/C gained some 198,148 votes, while APNU+AFC leads with 201,324.
Notably, at both the General and Regional Elections, the PPP/C secured the greatest level of support in six electoral districts – Regions 1 (Barima/ Waini), 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), 3 (Essequibo/ Islands), 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice), 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) and Nine (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo).
Out of a total of 570,787 registered voters, there was an average 71 per cent voter turnout, with 410,391 valid votes cast at General elections and 402,145 valid votes cast at the regional elections.
Also, The United Force (TUF) is leading the five other political parties, contesting the General and Regional elections, with the largest support.
If the preliminary results are upheld, APNU+AFC is expected to secure 33 seats in the National Assembly, while the PPP/C takes away 32 seats.