THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is adequately prepared to facilitate the over 10,000 ranks from the Discipline Services who will be casting their ballots today ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections.

This is according to GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward, who during an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle disclosed that ballots were dispatched as early as Thursday to Regions Two, Three, Five and Six.

Ballots for Regions Seven, Eight and Nine will depart the city this morning by air.

“We are adequately prepared for all the polls or balloting stations to be opened in time for 6am as prescribed by law and for the polls to be closed at 6pm,” Ward said.

Approximately 10,481 ranks are expected to vote today and at the close of polls, those ballots will be transported and intermixed at gazetted polling stations on September 1, when the general public will vote.

Ranks who are unable to cast their ballots today, will be able to do so at the general polls in the respective areas where they were registered.

“Once they have not voted tomorrow (August 22) their names will be on the official list of electors in the areas where they are registered to vote. So, they can proceed to that area on the first of September and vote as an ordinary elector.”

Approximately 6,909 ranks from the Guyana Police Force, 466 from the Guyana Prison Service and 3,106 Guyana Defence Force ranks are expected to vote today.

Ward had previously explained that based on GECOM’s standard electoral procedures, votes cast by the Disciplined Forces are not counted separately.

Instead, the ballots are secured in tamper-proof containers and later mixed with the general ballots on Election Day before being counted. It is tradition for members of the Disciplined Forces to vote prior to the general public to allow them to be deployed for security duties on Election Day.

In preparation for the upcoming General and Regional Elections set for September 1, 2025, Ward said that GECOM has appointed ballot officers for members of the Disciplined Forces.

According to a notice published in the Official Gazette dated June 5, 2025, Chief Election Officer, Vishnu Persaud, formally appointed three individuals to oversee balloting within the respective security agencies. The appointments are in accordance with Section 65I (1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, Cap. 1:03.

The appointed officers are Areana Britton, who will serve as the ballot officer for the Guyana Defence Force, established under the Defence Act, Cap. 15:01; Sharon Jethu, who has been designated for the Guyana Police Force, established under the Police Act, Cap. 16:01; and Sadhna Boodhanlall, who will be responsible for the Guyana Prison Service, established under the Prison Act, Cap. 11:01.