The Carter Center
One Copenhill453 Freedom Parkway Atlanta,
GA 30307(404) 420-5100
2015 General and Regional Elections in Guyana
Final Report
Executive Summary
The 2011 elections in Guyana resulted in the ruling party winning the presidency but narrowly losing a majority of seats in Parliament. The years that followed were characterized by political gridlock and failures of governance, and they culminated in a motion of “no confidence” against President Ramotar (tabled by opposition parties in August 2014), the proroguing of Parliament in November 2014, the dissolution of Parliament in February 2015, and a call for elections.Guyana’s May 15, 2015, general and regional elections marked the country’s second democratic transfer of power from one party to another in the Anglophone Caribbean nation’s post-independence history. The 2015 polls also marked several other significant milestones for the nation, including a turnout of 72 percent when more Guyanese voted than in any other election in the country’s history.
Although Guyana has previously experienced close elections, 2015 was the closest election to date, with a coalition of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance for Change (AFC) receiving 50.3 percent of the 412,012 valid votes cast compared to the PPP/C’s 49.2 percent. Only 4,506 votes separated the winner from the loser. This election also saw the first coalition slate win a national election, perhaps harboring a future of coalition politics in a country that has struggled with the zero-sum nature of its winner-take-all system.Despite these distinctions, the 2015 elections repeated many familiar patterns of the past.
Election results, both preliminary and final, took longer to be released than anticipated, fueling acute anxiety and suspicion within the populace. Ethnic mobilization played a major role in the campaign, although moderated somewhat by the opposition coalition’s built-in need to reach across traditional ethnic lines. The PPP/C filed an election petition challenging the validity of the results that is still pending at the time of writing of this report 1 and refused participation in the first sittings of the National Assembly.
Overall, while these elections represent a step forward in Guyana’s democratic development, there is much work to be done to ensure governance is inclusive and elections become more routine and less trau-matic to the nation.The Carter Center team in Guyana was led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Dame Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom, and Dame Billie Miller of Barbados. Six medium-term observers from six countries were deployed,Overall, while these elections represent a step forward in Guyana’s democratic development, there is much work to be done to ensure governance is inclusive and elections become more routine and less traumatic to the nation.
1 This report was finalized in July 2016.
Carter Center observers and staff on this mission had the privilege of working on the Center’s 100th election observation.throughout the country in advance of election day to assess election preparations. On election day, 53 observers from 26 countries visited 297 polling stations (or 13 percent of total stations) in all 10 regions to observe voting, counting, tabulation, and the declaration of results. The Carter Center remained in Guyana to observe the postelection environment.On election day, Guyanese citizens turned out in large numbers to cast their votes in what was the most important election since the watershed election of 1992. Guyanese voters waited patiently in long lines from early in the morning until into the evening. Across the country, thousands of dedicated poll workers, party agents, and officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) served with honesty, integrity, and professionalism.All Guyanese should be proud of what trans-pired on election day. This is especially true because their efforts took place in an atmosphere of tension and anxiety that, unfortunately, was generated by key political leaders who played on fears during the electoral process. Rumors and allegations of provocative confrontations between ruling party and opposition supporters swirled throughout election day. On closer inspection by international observers, most issues, with a few exceptions, turned out to be largely unfounded or easily explained. Despite such attempts to sow discord, Guyanese generally remained calm and cast their ballots without incidents or problems.At 98 percent of stations visited, Carter Center observers reported that their overall assessment of the election environment and process was positive. At the stations where the Center observed, voting progressed with only a few technical errors and in a manner that protected the integrity of the vote. During the counting period, Carter Center observers reported a generally anxious atmosphere in polling stations visited.In the days following the election, Carter Center observers monitored the transmission and tabulation of results at the regional and national levels, including observers present 24 hours a day at the central tally center in Georgetown until the completion of the process. After delays in the tabulation and declaration of both preliminary and final results, results were announced by GECOM on May 16, five days after voting. APNU–AFC narrowly edged out the incumbent PPP/C by a small margin. Later that same day, retired Brigadier David A. Granger was sworn in at the Parliament building as the eighth executive presi-dent of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
Recommendations:
Since President Carter’s visit to Guyana in 2004, The Carter Center has stated that Guyana’s current winner-take-all system does not serve the country’s interests, given its demographic patterns and history of entrenched ethnic voting. In this system, the party (and ethnic group) that wins a plurality of the votes claims all executive and legislative power except in the rare cases of opposition majorities in the National Assembly. This exclusionary governance system fuels ethnic insecurity and is a factor in Guyana’s long-running ethnic conflict. While this dynamic has changed somewhat since the Herdmanston reforms and the rise of a successful third political party in 2005, this does not obviate the need for further constitutional reforms.2 The Carter Center welcomes the APNU–AFC coalition’s campaign pledge to mount fundamental constitutional reform to achieve more inclusive governance and power sharing and urges the coalition to live up to this promise. Similarly, the Center urges the PPP/C to engage fully in what should be an open process inclusive of all stakeholders. The Center encourages all Guyanese to think profoundly and creatively about how these goals could be achieved.This report contains recommendations for the enhancement of the electoral process in Guyana. Several that are highlighted in summary form here are amplified with additional recommendations in the final section of this report.
2 The Herdmanston Accord, signed by the two leading political parties on Jan. 17, 1998, aimed to restore peace to the country after violent postelection protests. Under the oversight of the Caribbean Community Mission, the Herdmanston Accord called for an audit of the 1997 elections, moratorium on demonstrations, dialogue between political parties, a constitutional review process, and a new political environment.Soyia Ellison
The Carter Center welcomes the APNU–AFC coalition’s campaign pledge to mount fundamental constitutional reform to achieve more inclusive governance and power sharing and urges the coalition to live up to this promise. Similarly, the Center urges the PPP/C to engage fully in what should be an open process inclusive of all stakeholders. The Center encourages all Guyanese to think profoundly and creatively about how these goals could be achieved.This report contains recommendations for the enhancement of the electoral process in Guyana. Several that are highlighted in summary form here are amplified with additional recommendations in the final section of this report.
To the Government of Guyana
Consolidate Electoral Laws.
Currently, regula-tions related to the administration of elections are fragmented across numerous pieces of legisla-tion, orders, regulations, and judicial decisions. Consolidation of the law in advance of future elections would create greater legal certainty and clarity among stakeholders regarding the rules governing elections in Guyana.When consolidating election legislation, consideration should be given to the following areas, with a particular focus on the electoral system:
Re-evaluate the Electoral System.
Re-evaluate the electoral system, considering systems that would promote support across ethnic lines and better reflect international standards. For example, the present list system allows political parties to allocate seats to members of their choice after the election, meaning that the voter casts his/her ballot for the party, not candidates. In addition, there is no requirement that political parties must allocate seats in the National Assembly to any of the female candidates from within their lists. Guyana should consider adjustments to its legal framework and electoral system to equalize repre-sentation of women in Parliament.
Allow Individual Candidates to Stand for President.
The constitutional rules in Guyana limit all candidature for the office of the presidency and for membership of the National Assembly to those who join party lists. This is an unreasonable limitation on the freedom of association and on the right to run for election, and consideration should be given to allowing independent candidates. In addition, in light of the history of ethnic polarization, Guyana might consider ranked-choice voting for president to place an incentive on candidates to appeal to voters across party and communal lines.
Overhaul and Modernize Campaign Finance Laws.
To ensure realization of the right and opportunity to be elected, legal reform is necessary to improve campaign finance laws. Legislation should be strengthened to routinely require disclosure of contributions and expenditures. Consideration also should be given to establishing reasonable limits on donations and expenditures to ensure that the free choice of voters is not undermined or the democratic process distorted by disproportionate expenditures on behalf of any candidate or party. A monitoring and enforcement body with oversight authority of compliance with campaign finance regulations would also be a posi-tive contribution to Guyanese politics.
Create Legislation on Political Parties.
Guyana’s legal framework for elections is silent in the area of registration and operation of political parties. Legislation is needed to establish clear requirements for the registration and operation of political parties that will support the freedom of association and promote broad multiethnic parties that can represent citizen interests in governance.
Ensure Geographical Seats Are More Equitably Distributed Among Electors.
To ensure the principle of equal suffrage, constituencies should be drawn so that voters are represented in the legislature on a more equal basis. In Guyana, the magnitude of the geographic constituencies for the 25 regional seats in the Parliament varies, negatively impacting the equality of suffrage. Consideration should be given to establishing clear provisions regarding boundary delimita-tion, with management by an independent and impartial body, to allow for stakeholder and citizen participation in the process.
Reconsider Systems to Enfranchise Citizens Working on Election Day, Including “Certificates of Employment,” Voting by Proxy, and Advanced Voting for the Disciplined Services.
Guyana has utilized a variety of methods to enfranchise those who may be working on election day away from their polling place such as GECOM staff, members of the disciplined services, political party agents, civil society observers, and members of the media. In the case of members of the disciplined services, advance in-person voting was conducted. In the case of others, proxy voting was allowed or “certifi-cates of employment” were given to enable voting away from one’s assigned polling place. In the 2015 elections, the beneficiaries of these proce-dures were more limited than in past elections and excluded members of civil society serving as election observers. Systems for enfranchising these categories of people should be re-evaluated to ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Where applied, proce-dures for advance voting must be strictly regulated to protect the secrecy of the vote.
Clarify the Laws Pertaining to Recounts.
To secure the right to effective remedy, publicly available guidelines should be created regarding a request for recounts, decision-making criteria for the granting of recounts, people or organizations who make decisions regarding recounts, and ways recounts are to be conducted.
Build Confidence in the Voters List.
Confidence in the voters list is a crucial compo-nent of elections. Voter registration processes should promote inclusiveness, ensure that the right to vote is protected, and safeguard against voting by ineligible people. GECOM, the registrar general, and other departments of the govern-ment of Guyana should enhance communication, particularly surrounding the timely removal of the deceased from the voters list. To increase General and Regional Elections in Guyana transparency and build confidence, an independent audit of the voters list should be facilitated as well as observation of all aspects of the voter registration process.
Accede to Applicable Human Rights Treaties.
The Carter Center recommends that Guyana accede to outstanding human rights instruments of the Organization of American States, particularly the American Convention on Human Rights.
To the Guyana Elections Commission
Open Guyana Elections Commission Meetings to Observers.
While GECOM and its secretariat operated in an open and inclusive manner, representatives of citizen and international observer groups should be granted access to commission meetings where feasible. Minutes of meetings should be published and posted online to promote the transparent administration of elections and facilitate public understanding of commission deliberations and decisions.
Continue to Strengthen the Professionalism and Independence of the Commission.
An independent and impartial body charged with implementing elections is an important means of ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. The structure, staffing, recruitment, and training of staff should be closely evaluated and steps taken to ensure that GECOM advances as a professional and independent election management body.
Ensure Respect for the Right of Prisoners to Vote.
Guyana is obligated to ensure that the right of universal suffrage is fully realized. Guyana should seek to facilitate voting by prisoners, particularly those held in remand who have not yet been convicted of a crime. In advance of future elections, procedural measures should be adopted to avoid unreasonable disenfranchisement of eligible citizens.
Strengthen the Process of Tabulating Results.
The process for the counting, tabulation, and transmission of results should be carefully reviewed and revised to increase the transparency of the process, with particular attention to the relation-ship between tabulation conducted by returning officers and the central tally. To ensure the integrity of the tabulation process, consideration also should be given to a centralized electronic tabulation system that includes double-blind data entry and clear procedures for the handling of quarantined materials. The process should be transparent, verifiable, and timely.
Clearly Mark Vehicles for Transport of Election Materials.
All vehicles used to transport election materials should be clearly marked to indicate that the cargo is the property of GECOM.
Link to full report
