FRIDAY morning in Linden saw a slow start as members of the Disciplined Forces were given the privilege to vote 10 days ahead of the country’s Local Government Elections.
Some 7918 ranks from the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force and Guyana Prison Service were scheduled to vote at 80 locations around Guyana.

However, when the Guyana Chronicle visited the Wismar Police Station and the Mackenzie Police Station in Linden, quietness and very few police officers were observed at the two polling places. Nevertheless, the voting process was described as “good” by Constable Wilson, who is attached to the Mackenzie Police Station.
The Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice polling stations were also located at the Mabura, Ituni and Kwakwani police stations.

In a press release, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) noted that the ballot papers used for voting by members of the disciplined forces were arranged and enveloped by the community’s municipality under the supervision of GECOM personnel; this was witnessed by agents of the contesting political parties, voluntary groups or individual candidates.

The packing of ballot boxes, that were dispatched to polling stations in each municipality, was carried out under the supervision of GECOM personnel; this process was witnessed by agents of contesting political parties, voluntary groups or individual candidates. The transporting of all ballot boxes — to and from ballot stations– was done under police escort.

After the polling stations were closed on Friday, all ballot boxes were returned to GECOM on the same day; this was done under the secure custody of the chief election officer, who was accompanied by members of the Guyana Police Force.
The ballots cast by members of the disciplined forces will be sorted by local authorities and constituencies, to be dispatched to the respective returning officers for intermixing on Election Day, November 12, 2018.

The press release also noted that the ballots cast by members of the disciplined forces will be distributed on polling day by the returning officers to the relevant presiding officers; these will be mixed with the other ballots cast by civilians and counted at the identified polling stations, which are yet to be announced.
In addition, the respective lists of members of the disciplined forces will be scrutinised to determine electors who voted on November 2, 2018.

Folios listing members of the disciplined forces who voted on November 2, 2018, will be distributed to presiding officers and party agents. Electors listed in the folios will not be allowed to vote on polling day.

Back in September, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance For Change (AFC), the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the United Republican Party (URP), successfully submitted their candidates for the eight constituencies on Nomination Day in Linden. Back in July, 2018, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan announced that Local Government Elections (LGEs) will be held on November 12, 2018.

Bulkan expressed the hope that participation of citizens at LGEs 2018 will be greater than the 43% which obtained at the last LGEs in March 2016.