Disciplined Forces to vote on August 22

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is urging citizens to familiarise themselves with the voting process as members of the Disciplined Forces are set to cast their ballots on August 22, ahead of the general population on September 1.

GECOM has issued specific guidelines for electors who will vote without a national identification card.

Electors must first confirm their name is on the Official List of Electors before entering the polling station. They must then notify the ballot clerk that they do not have a national ID card. The clerk will check the list, announce the elector’s serial number, name, and other details, and tick the relevant entry.

Next, the elector will be directed to a ballot attendant, who will interview them and verify their identity using the registration folio in the presence of political party agents. The attendant will also inspect the elector’s finger for electoral ink.

If the ballot attendant is satisfied with the identity, the elector will take an oath of identity. The attendant will retrieve the elector’s envelope and explain the voting procedure using a specimen ballot. The envelope will then be issued to the elector, who will proceed to the voting compartment. Party agents will tick the elector’s details on their list.

To vote, the elector will remove the small envelope—labeled with their electoral district name—from the larger envelope. They will retain the larger envelope, open the smaller one, and mark their ballot for both general and regional elections. The ballot will be refolded, returned to the small envelope, and sealed using the paste provided.

The elector will return the sealed envelope to the ballot attendant, who will verify that it is correctly sealed. The elector will then stain their finger with electoral ink and place the envelope into the ballot box before exiting the polling station.

GECOM reminded voters that it is their responsibility to understand the electoral process, including their polling station location, hours of operation, and identification requirements. Voters are urged to exercise their right peacefully, respect others, and report any acts of voter intimidation to the presiding officer.