Oppos. Commissioners continue with unprecedented push to have prisoners vote

Opposition-nominated Commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are adamant that prisoners must be allowed to vote at the General and Regional Elections on September 1, 2025. The move is unprecedented with Vincent Alexander, the longest serving Commissioner saying that nothing in law prohibits those incarcerated from casting their ballots.The opposition-nomination Commissioner told the media outside GECOM’s Headquarters this afternoon that the issue came up today during a GECOM meeting. He related that the Chairwoman, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh raised concerns over laws and rules that do not allow for the intermingling of inmates and the public.However, Alexander noted that Opposition Commissioners argued that the Constitution does not prohibit prisoners from voting, and they were quick to reference Article 59 of the Constitution.That article stipulates that subject to the provisions of Article 159, every person may vote at an election if he is of the age of 18 years and upwards and is either a citizen of Guyana or a Commonwealth citizen resident or domiciled in Guyana”.Alexander said that the Chairwoman was aslo reminded that the Article 159 says that no person shall be qualified to be so registered who on the qualifying date is a person certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law in force in Guyana.Also, no person shall be qualified to be so
registered if during such period (not exceeding five years) preceding the qualifying date as may be prescribed by Parliament, he or she has been convicted by a court of any offence connected with elections. Upon hearing this, the Chairman said she will do some more research on the matter and will come back to the commission on Monday.Asked why this unprecedented move, Alexander said, “well, one becomes more conscience along the way”, adding that the incarcerated being allowed to vote is the right thing to do and there is no law banning them from doing so.