THE recently concluded general and regional elections on September 1, 2025, clearly show the growth of the country’s democratic institutions and the professionalism of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

As veteran political commentator, Freddie Kissoon pointed out in his recent column, the fact that opposition claims of electoral irregularities are unfounded, highlights the transparency and credibility of this electoral process.

GECOM deserves high praise for managing the most transparent elections in Guyana’s history. For the first time, Statements of Poll were uploaded to GECOM’s website in real time. This gave citizens direct access to results before political parties could gather their own data.
Thanks to this digital transparency, independent analysts could have made conclusive projections as early as 11:00 PM on election night. This achievement reflects GECOM’s commitment to openness.

The commission’s careful attention to detail was visible throughout the entire process. All 438,467 votes were cast and counted with party agents present at the polling stations.
International observers from the Carter Center; the European Union; the Commonwealth; the Organization of American States and CARICOM, carried out extensive missions. The Carter Center alone sent 40 observers across all 10 regions.

Their unanimous conclusion was clear: the elections were run with integrity and professionalism. The election results themselves contradict any claims of irregularities. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic won decisively with 242,498 votes, which is 55.3%.
In contrast, the new We Invest in Nationhood party received 109,066 votes, significantly overtaking the traditional APNU opposition. As Kissoon wisely noted, if the elections were indeed flawed, a three-month-old party would not have found favour in these elections.

The rise of WIN as the main opposition, especially in traditional APNU strongholds in Regions Seven and 10, shows that the electorate’s voice is truly being heard.
GECOM’s ability to handle logistical challenges also highlights its competence. Despite tight timelines, the commission managed to recruit and train 11,718 poll workers. They set up multiple regional areas for distributing materials and enforced strict ballot secrecy, such as banning cell- phones in polling stations to prevent vote-buying.
The European Union’s mission acknowledged that while there were some delays, they did not affect the electoral process and the training sessions were regarded as thorough and professional.
The international community’s assessment strongly supports GECOM’s performance. The Commonwealth Observer Group praised the peaceful atmosphere and noted that election-related procedures were mostly respected.

The Carter Center commended polling day staff for doing their jobs with integrity and professionalism, stating that all Guyanese should be proud of how election day went. These commendations from experienced international observers hold significant meaning and highlight GECOM’s effective management of a complex electoral process.
The opposition’s claims of irregularities, especially about the voters list, lack solid evidence. While 757,690 citizens were registered, only 438,467 cast ballots.

Although this is lower than the turnout in 2020, it aligns with standard democratic participation patterns rather than indicating systemic issues. As Kissoon rightly pointed out, “a bloated list has no relation to voting,” and the actual turnout shows that the list is accurate in practice.

The 2025 elections mark a pivotal moment for Guyanese democracy. GECOM has set new standards for transparency, professionalism, and credibility that will benefit the nation in future elections.

The commission deserves the gratitude of all Guyanese for successfully conducting what multiple international observers have confirmed as free, fair, and transparent elections. This major milestone strengthens Guyana’s democratic standing and lays a solid foundation for the country’s ongoing democratic progress.