54 ballot boxes processed on Day 9 of recount

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has processed another 54 ballot boxes of votes cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections, at the end of today’s recount exercise.

Day 9 of the national event saw five boxes tallied in Region One, 11 in Region Two, while 17 boxes were completed in Region Three and 14 in Region Four.

Earlier, the election body broke seals to boxes of votes cast in Region Five, after the operations for Region one was completed. Seven boxes were recounted thus far for that district.

Some 404 Statements of Recount (SOR) were recorded for the General Elections and a similar 404 for the Regional.

As it relates to the contents in the remaining ballot box for Region One, which got wet, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward said it was decided to empty the box and place the contents in a secure location to dry; pending a decision from the commission,

“Once they (votes) can be examined by the commission, then a determination will be made as to whether they will continue with the counting of that box or what other necessary decision they will need to take,” Ward explained.

Thus far, GECOM has been able to recount 421 ballot boxes and anticipates a prompt start for day 10 tomorrow, at the Authur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).