GUYANA’S General Elections 2020 saw, like never before, a massive turnout of youths within District 10, who were eager and thrilled to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
At the commencement of voting on Monday morning, a great number of youths were spotted waiting in line at polling stations to vote, with a large portion of them being first-time voters.
Michael Brac, a first-time voter, of Christianburg, Wismar, Linden, told Guyana Chronicle that for him, the process of voting was simple and all instructions were straightforward. The 18-year-old noted that he decided to vote because he would like to play a part in the selection of the government that will bring development in Guyana.
Eighteen-year-old Carlisa Pitt was also a first time voter and she stated that her experience was thrilling and exciting. Pitt who is a resident of the Wismar Hill community in Linden noted that her decision to vote came from the thought of being a part of change in Guyana. Pitt added, “whether you like it or not people are going to say, ‘whoever deh in the government, I still gotta go out and work’, but we still need the government because at the end of the day the government will have to play a part in minimum wages.”
Shania Gordon and Adam Leslicroft, ages 18 and 24 respectively, would have also engaged in Guyana’s General Elections for the first time. Both Gordon and Leslicroft of Wismar Linden and West Watooka, respectively, noted that the voting process was very straightforward and transparent. In addition to the need to vote like a boss, the youths stated that they voted with the hope of Guyana becoming a better place filled with opportunities, especially for the youths.
Resident of Coomacka, District 10 and ‘newbie’ to the electoral system, Alliyah Dey, described her voting experience as “very good and smooth.” The 19-year-old added, “It is my right and my choice to vote and I decided to vote because I am voting for my future.”
Meanwhile things were a bit nerve-wrecking for new voter, Rapheal Jones of the Coomacka mines. Jones stated that prior to voting he was nervous; however, that changed as soon as he stepped into the polling station where he was greeted by friendly GECOM staff.
The 19-year-old added, “It was important that I come out to vote so I can support the party I like and make sure my future is in the right hands.”
“I was so excited to come out to vote to show my rights because it is my right to vote and to put persons in there who I think is best fit to govern Guyana,” were the words of 19-year-old Olesha Alexander, a hyped first-time elector.
Alexander who is of West Watooka, Wismar, Linden, said that she was very excited to vote and she described her voting experience as “exhilarating.”
She added, “it was very peaceful, I was expecting a quarrel but it was very peaceful and smooth this morning so I am positive that my party will win.”
According to 65-year-old James Rutherford, Monday would have been the first time, in all his years of voting, that he would have seen so many young people turning out to vote. He called the sight satisfying.
At Guyana’s General and Regional Elections 2020, District 10 had a total of 125 Polling stations where a total of 33,808 electors were scheduled to vote.
