Georgetown: The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has completed the fingerprint cross-matching exercise, necessary for the preparation of the Revised List of Electors (RLE), and is now in the process of posting the List at locations across the country, according to a senior GECOM official. The list includes the names of 570,786 eligible voters, and GECOM is expected to complete its posting by March 23. Once that has been completed, the list will remain in public view for 21 days, as is the statutory requirement, during which time members of the Guyanese public and eligible voters are invited to review the list to ensure the details are correct.
According to the GEOCM official, any inaccuracies can be communicated to the Commission, and the Chief Elections Officer, (CEO) Mr. Keith Lowenfield, has the authority to make the corrections.
Once that review period comes to an end, the CEO is then expected to certify the RLE and, from this, produce the Official List of Elections, which will facilitate voting at the upcoming May 11 general and regional elections.
It was indicated that this could be done by April 16. However, new information from the GECOM official suggests that the OLE may be available before then.
Additionally, GECOM has made public its guidelines for the composition of the necessary lists by political parties, which need to be submitted on April 7 – Nomination Day.
Contesting parties are permitted to submit three separate lists on Nomination Day. These lists of candidates are in respect to: Geographical Constituencies Lists, National Top-up Lists, and Regional Democratic Council Lists.
In accordance with the Proportional Representation Electoral System, in order to qualify for a seat in the National Assembly, contesting parties must contest for a minimum of six (6) of the Geographical Constituencies — totalling at least 13 seats for eligibility to contest and submit Geographical Constituencies list and National Top-up List. This arrangement will provide for qualified contesting party to submit, on Nomination Day, two separate lists of candidates.
Any contesting political party can contest the election of members of any of the ten Regional Democratic Councils. For this purpose, a List of Candidates must be submitted on Nomination Day.
You must be logged in to post a comment.