As the recount of the votes cast at the regional and general elections continues at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre(ACCC), officials have discovered at least one instance where the number of ballots found in a ballot box, was greater than the names crossed off on the Official Voters list.
This was noted by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner, Vincent Alexander who noted that it is still early days in the process. He was speaking to reporters outside the recount venue on Friday afternoon when he made the disclosure.
Alexander was at the time speaking about the credibility of the recount process.He noted that the entire objective of the process is one where a final credible count is being pursued.
He said that there are persons who are maintaining that only a numerical count should be done, which he noted “not respond to the objective of credibility.”
He elaborated on the finding.”A matter like that is a credibility issue and it is a matter pertaining to the count,” he said noting that “those people who would like us to simply forget everything else and merely go in the box and repeat a count are in fact not addressing the question of credibility,” he said.
As regards what action will be taken in the instance where the ballots cast outnumber the names on the list, Alexander said the matter was discussed on Friday by GECOM officials and the body decided that the count will be continue but those boxes will not be included in the tabulation process.”They will be held in abeyance pending the commission’s adjudication,” he said.
A total of 2339 ballot boxes are being counted during the 25-day recount process.Thus far, a total of 108 ballot boxes have been scrutinised.