GECOM reports lower voter turnout, 34.97% overall

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that a mere 34.97 per cent or 188,856 of the 540,056 registered electors turned up to cast their ballots when the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGEs) were held across the country last month.

According to the data released on Tuesday by GECOM, this figure marks a decrease compared to the 36.3% turnout recorded in 2018, and a significant drop from the 47.1% turnout observed in 2016.

Out of a total of 540,056 eligible voters in the contested areas, only 188,856 individuals cast their votes, indicating a lack of participation in the democratic process. The figures varied across different Local Authority Areas (LAAs), shedding light on the areas with the highest and lowest participation rates.

The Good Success/Caledonia LAA recorded the lowest voter turnout at 20.87%. On the other hand, the Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt LAA registered the highest voter turnout at 58.33%, indicating a more engaged electorate in that area.

In an analysis of the highly-contested areas, the municipality of Georgetown saw a voter turnout of 28.10%, which is lower than the overall average turnout. This indicates that even in a heavily-contested region, voter participation remained below the desired level this year.

Bartica, known for its significant political activity, recorded a turnout of 40.96%, indicating a relatively higher level of engagement among its residents.

Similarly, Mahdia and Linden, both areas of considerable contention, experienced turnouts of 42.57% and 37.05%, respectively. While these turnouts are higher than average, they still fall below the levels achieved in previous elections.

According to GECOM, there were 13 LAAs where no voting took place. This occurred due to the fact that only one political party, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) fielded a list of candidates, resulting in uncontested areas.

Additionally, two areas, namely Diamond Place/Golden Grove and Cane Field/Enterprise, saw no contests in the Proportional Representation (PR) portion of the elections.

The June 12 LGEs witnessed a resounding victory for the PPP/C, solidifying its already dominant position in the country’s political landscape. The Party secured majority seats in seven out of the ten municipalities, and emerged victorious in 56 of the 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), marking a cataclysmic win that strengthens their hold on both local and regional governance.

The PPP/C’s success was particularly notable in the municipalities where it secured majority votes in Mabaruma, Anna Regina, Corriverton, Rose Hall, Bartica, Mahdia, and Lethem. Notably, Lethem became an uncontested Local Authority Area (LAA), as the PPP/C was the only party to submit a list of candidates.

The Party’s ability to secure victories in diverse regions across the country showcases its broad appeal, and highlights the continued trust and support it enjoys among Guyanese voters.

The main political opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), faced a significant decline in this year’s LGEs, securing majority seats in only 14 out of the 80 LAAs. This marks a substantial decrease for the Party, compared to the 23 LAAs it won in the previous LGEs held in 2018.

In Georgetown, the capital city, the PPP/C achieved a remarkable increase in votes, positioning itself to secure up to 11 seats out of the 30-seat Council. This represents a nearly 100% increase in votes compared to the 2018 LGEs, and highlights the Party’s growing popularity and influence in the city.

The PPP/C’s success in Georgetown extends its previous gains, as it had already tripled its representation from three seats in the 2016 LGEs to seven seats in the 2018 LGEs.

The PPP/C’s surge was not limited to Georgetown alone, as the Party witnessed a significant increase in votes in various townships across the country.

In Bartica for instance, a traditionally strong APNU stronghold, the PPP/C outperformed its opposition, winning the Proportional Representation (PR) popular vote, and securing nine seats. This represents a four-seat increase compared to the five seats the Party won in 2018.

GECOM released results of the PR component in Bartica, revealing that the PPP/C garnered 1,784 votes, surpassing APNU’s 1,601 votes. The Party’s success was not only limited to PR seats, as it also increased its constituency seats from two in 2018 to four this year.

APNU, on the other hand, lost its previously held seats in Constituencies One and Seven of the municipality. Linden, another stronghold for APNU, also experienced a significant shift in voter sentiment.

The PPP/C witnessed a staggering 512.9% increase in supporting votes, garnering 2,464 votes in 2023, compared to the 402 votes it received in the 2018 LGEs, according to GECOM.

LGEs comprise two parts: PR voting and first-past-the-post voting. The data provided by GECOM focuses on the PR voting turnout, based on valid votes cast for each approved list of candidates, along with the total number of rejected ballots recorded.

While PR voting aims to ensure proportional representation, it is essential to examine whether this system adequately encourages voter participation, and whether reforms are necessary to address the declining turnout.