Guyana’s media is reporting that the main opposition is calling for forensic audit or rerun of elections. The election commission (GECOM) Chair correctly responded that the request must be pursued through an election petition. GECOM cannot adjudicate on certain matters that have to do with the constitution or those relating to unfair advantages. The opposition had to have known it was heading for a resounding defeat as polls clearly found that the PPP was way ahead.
Election is a ‘one shot’ opportunity. Candidates have (had) to make the best of the opportunity. If there are (were) constitutional or legal issues on an election, these have (had) to be sorted out before the election. One cannot run a race and after losing, then request a re-run. APNU has been decimated but not at the hands of the incumbent; a new political party or movement led by a newcomer to politics ‘mashed’ it up. The request for annulling the election is a travesty and a blatant disregard of electoral principles (accepting defeat and conceding by calling and congratulating the winner as done in Jamaica on September 4), the constitution, and ROPA. Claims of electoral irregularities and an unequal playing field, among other factors, are to be addressed by a court, not GECOM as that body is not empowered to address those matters. Constitutional reforms, as advised by all foreign observers, may be in order, but these have to come after the formation of the government and parliament. They are political and judicial, not GECOM, matters.
The 2025 election result (albeit a low turnout) was not a narrow victory as in 2020 or 2015 or 2011 that could possibly justify a court challenge. It was a convincing win; it was (is) a huge victory in which the incumbent won by some 6% or 4 seats beyond the majority of 33 seats.
Any court challenge would simply delay the inevitable – an Ali victory and extend the President’s term by whatever number of days of the delay in swearing in the winner.
Guyana’s election was largely lauded by foreign and domestic observers as well as civil society as one of its most peaceful and best-organized in recent times. As one who studies elections globally and Guyana’s, this was the most peaceful since 1964.
The country does not need to be plunged into a period of uncertainty as in 2020 and earlier elections. The public wants this election to be completed quickly. Any challenge to the outcome should come by way of an election petition as responded by the Chair of GECOM. And even that is discouraged as there were no major technical or mechanical or constitutional or legal issues on the holding of the election itself.
