–Election Day marked by professionalism, improved procedures, increased citizen engagement, says Observer Group
THE 2025 General and Regional Elections in Guyana were largely peaceful, transparent, and professionally managed, according to the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG).
The 10-member team, deployed following a pre-election assessment mission in July, observed the elections held on September 1, 2025.
During its presence in Guyana from August 23 to September 7, the group engaged with political leaders, electoral authorities, civil society, media, and international partners, while observing campaign activities and election operations across seven regions.
In its final report, the Observer Group praised the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for its organisation and transparency, noting significant improvements since previous polls.
“GECOM’s updates to electoral manuals and decentralisation of counting represented major improvements since the previous elections,” the report stated.
The COG also praised the polling staff for demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, and preparedness, noting that information desks, signage, and voter materials were effectively deployed to assist voters.
Observers also highlighted the well-coordinated security arrangements, which helped maintain a peaceful electoral environment.
Guyana’s legal and institutional framework was highlighted as a strong foundation for democratic governance, anchored in constitutional and international principles.
The Group lauded recent legislative improvements, including the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, Act 25 of 2022, and the National Registration (Amendment) Act, Act 26 of 2022, which clarified and modernised electoral processes.
However, the COG highlighted that persistent challenges at GECOM continued to undermine public confidence.
As such, it suggested that strengthening institutional independence, transparency, and inclusivity is essential to consolidating electoral integrity ahead of future polls.
The Group also urged Guyana to implement recommendations to improve electoral credibility and transparency.
According to the COG report, campaigning ahead of the elections was active yet largely peaceful.
Six political parties — the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), the Alliance for Change (AFC), the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) — contested the polls.
Observers noted that “parties used a mix of traditional mobilisation and policy-driven messaging, focusing on transparency in oil revenue management; anticorruption; constitutional reform and equitable economic development.”
The Group also noted that “the fundamental rights of candidates, political parties, and their supporters to assemble and campaign appear to have been largely observed.”
Technological advancements were central to the 2025 elections. With an estimated 96% of Guyanese online, social media provided platforms for participation, particularly for smaller parties, although observers warned about the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
The COG recommended strengthening media independence and transparency, institutionalising issue-based campaigning, and building digital resilience through monitoring, regulation, and civic education.
Significant progress was noted in political inclusion. Women’s participation advanced notably, with two female presidential candidates and three female prime ministerial candidates.
Women now occupy over one-third of parliamentary seats, fulfilling the legal requirements under the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act (2000).
However, youth, persons with disabilities, Amerindian peoples, and civil society remain underrepresented, and the Observer Group urged improvements in data transparency, inclusive policy enforcement, and civic engagement to support equitable participation in future elections.
Overall, the Commonwealth Observer Group concluded that the 2025 elections reflected a maturing electoral process in Guyana.
“Voting, counting, and tabulation processes were peaceful, transparent, and generally well-managed,” the report noted.
The Group recommended continued implementation of prior observer mission recommendations, strengthening institutional independence, and creating a post-electoral domestic mechanism to ensure future elections remain credible, inclusive, and transparent.
The COG for the Guyana 2025 elections, chaired by Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, included 10 experts from various countries, who observed the electoral process across seven regions.
The 2025 Guyana General and Regional Elections, held on September 1, marked a historic moment in the nation’s political landscape.
Incumbent President Dr. Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C was re-elected, while his party secured a majority in the 65-seat National Assembly with 36 seats. WIN emerged as the official opposition with 16 seats, followed by APNU with 12 seats and FGM with one seat.