When electors go to the polls on March 2, 2020 they will cast their ballots at fewer private residences as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in response to lobbying from the major political parties has moved 95% of polling places to public buildings such as schools, community centres and churches.
This decision has however been criticized by the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
“The commission took a decision to remove as far as possible private residences as polling places. What this has resulted in for some areas is a concentration of polling stations in one location for example several stations in one place which is a cause for concern. There is a concern that a larger catchment area having to access one polling place means that persons have to travel further distances to meet that polling station and the number of persons who have to access a polling place to visit the polling stations within there may also cause an issue,” Opposition-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters following yesterday’s statutory meeting of GECOM.