CEO submits final report to GECOM
DPI, GUYANA, Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Keith Lowenfield this afternoon submitted his final report to the commission’s Chair Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, making way for the declaration of results for the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections.
Guided by the ruling of the Appellate Court on Monday, which ordered that the commission’s decision on the elections be guided only by “more valid votes cast,” the CEO presented his report which shows an APNU+AFC Coalition win with a total 171,825 valid votes.
The opposition PPP follows with 166,343 votes. The joined list of A New United Guyana, the Liberty and Justice Party and The New Movement has together some 3, 348 valid votes.
With the lead, the APNU will have a 33-seat allocation, the PPP 31 and the joined list one, making up the 65-seat legislature.
The report shows a total 344, 508 valid votes cast with an electoral quota per seat at 5,300.
The Appellate Court on Monday delivered a landmark decision when it ruled that GECOM whose National vote Recount of the March 2 polls, was aimed at determining the credibility of the elections, can only use “more valid votes cast” to determine the results of the polls.
The case was filed by private citizen Eslyn David, through her attorney Mayo Robinson, asking the Court of Appeal to interpret the validity of votes based on Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution in determining the election of a president.
David had challenged the commission’s decision to move ahead with a declaration of a president based on a fraudulent count of votes from the gazetted National Vote Recount of May 4 and 29, 2020.