THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has issued a reminder to the public regarding the registration status of individuals who were under 18 years of age during the 2019 House-to-House Registration exercise. GECOM has clarified that these individuals were not registered due to a policy decision made by the Commission and are now required to re-apply for registration if they have not already done so.

The reminder comes in response to ongoing queries about the status of these individuals. Despite previous public announcements on the matter, GECOM considers it vital to reiterate that the applications for registration by eligible persons under the age of 18 at the time of the 2019 exercise were not processed.

The issue stems from a ruling made in August 2019 by Chief Justice (ag) Roxanne George in the case of Christopher Ram’s challenge to the legality of the House-to-House Registration exercise. While the Chief Justice ruled that the exercise itself was neither unconstitutional nor unlawful, she held that removing names from the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB) by any method other than those provided for in the Constitution and the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, would be illegal.

To comply with the court’s decision, GECOM’s Chairperson, Justice Claudette Singh, ordered the immediate termination of the House-to-House Registration exercise. Consequently, only the applications of first-time registrants who met the legal requirements to be registered as electors at that time were processed.

Individuals who were under 18 during the 2019 registration exercise and have since reached the qualifying age are reminded to reapply for registration to ensure their inclusion in the National Register of Registrants Database. This step is necessary for them to be eligible to vote in future elections.

GECOM has urged affected persons to visit the nearest registration office to complete the process. The Commission also emphasises the importance of following the outlined procedures to maintain the integrity and legality of the electoral process.
Further updates and guidance will be provided by GECOM as necessary. For additional information, individuals can contact the Commission directly or visit its official website.