The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Monday night apologized to persons living with disabilities, particularly those who had tremendous difficulty accessing their polling stations, but the Commission said overall voting was conducted “smoothly” and “peacefully” throughout the country, with limited reports of incidents.

At a number of polling places, polling stations, located in the upper flats of buildings, were inaccessible to voters with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs.

“I am very cognizant that this is an issue that we continue to face but again what we are required to do legally, in the operationalization or the placement of electors to polling stations within their respective divisions and subdivisions. And so, in such a case it mandates that unfortunately sometimes members of the disability community may be placed at a polling station that unavoidably does not have position such as ramps for them to access,” Ward explained as she apologized to members of the disability community.

She said ahead of Monday’s elections, Presiding Officers were instructed to offer assistance to persons with disabilities to ensure that they are able to vote.

But overall, Ward reported that voting went well across the country.

“For us, the voting process has proceeded smoothly and peacefully across the country. Where issues have been arisen, they have been addressed promptly, transparently in accordance with the law,” Ward told reporters.

She said despite claims that the voting process was slow at some polling stations, GECOM is satisfied with official reports which indicated that process progressed smoothly and in accordance with established procedures.

However, she added that the Elections Commission was confronted by a number of issues. There were complaints that voters were unable to locate their names on the Voters’ List at a location where they had previously voted.

Addressing the issue of the Voters’ List, Ward explained that if a person’s name was not on the List at a given polling station, he or she would have been unable to vote there, and it was therefore, important for voters to verify their registration details well in advance of polling day.

However, on the issue of the names of the deceased still being featured on the List, Ward said emphasized that GECOM acts only within the confines of the Constitution.

“Names can only be removed with an official death certificate submitted to the General Register Office. Without it, names may remain until the next list revision cycle. This is a legal safeguard to prevent wrongful removal,” she explained.

She said GECOM also received reports of police officers being present inside polling stations. This, she said, was prohibited, explaining that police officers are usually stationed outside of polling places unless their assistance is requested by a Presiding Officer to address an issue in keeping with the electoral laws of the country.

Other concerns related to the positioning of the voting compartments and issues relating to the smooth functioning of the websites.

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