GUYANA - Opposition parties APNU and WIN are calling for a recount of votes in several electoral districts, despite their agents having witnessed and signed off on both the count and tabulation at every polling station.
Local and international observer groups have praised the elections as free, fair, and without irregularities. Critics view the recount request as a delaying tactic aimed at delaying a swift results declaration. The official results are posted on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) website, showing the PPP as the winner. APNU is shocked by losses in its traditional strongholds, Region Four and Region Ten, where WIN surged. Opposition leader Aubrey Norton expressed disbelief at the defeat, noting a dramatic drop from 120,000+ votes to around 40,000 in Region Four and acknowledging Region Ten as a reversal from dominance to loss. In Region Four, the PPP captured the largest share, with WIN overtaking APNU, while in Region Ten the PPP held its position with a small gain and WIN overtook APNU.
GECOM has said it received a formal recount request from APNU for Sub-District 4 of District 4 and will commence the process with 25 workstations to maintain continuity. Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud urged all parties to ensure at least one accredited agent is present at each station.
APNU’s recount claims come despite Statements of Poll (SOPs) uploaded within 24 hours of voting, with all parties signing identical copies after witnessing the counts. International observers (Commonwealth, OAS, EU) commended the elections for transparency and the timely publication of results.
The District 4 recount is highly anticipated as Guyana awaits final certification of the September 1 vote. This echoes tensions from the disputed 2020 election, which led to a protracted standoff and eventually a national recount after international pressure. (Newsroom)
