Credibility Crisis Deepens as Voters’ List Far Outpaces Population Estimates

In the lead-up to September 1, General and Regional elections, a widening disparity between population projections and voter registration numbers is fueling scrutiny and distrust over the integrity of the electoral roll.

Census Delays and Population Uncertainty

An anonymous letter to Stabroek News highlights a glaring inconsistency: while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated Guyana’s population at 814,000 for 2023, data derived from a population pyramid published by the Bureau of Statistics suggested only about 513,000 Guyanese were voting age. Yet, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) lists 757,715 registered voters—48% more than theoretically eligible from those demographic figures.

Finance Minister Ashni Singh acknowledged the census delay to Stabroek News, stating:

“It is still not completed…I have conveyed to the Bureau of Statistics… the importance [of the census] because… it has important demographic and other data that is important in policy making.”

Chief Statistician Errol La Cruz added:

“We are still working on finalising the report and trying to get it completed soon…”

Opposition Alarm and Concerns

Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander has voiced grave concerns over the bloated electoral registry. Citing school-age population data, he estimated the resident voting population should be closer to 580,000, making the current list inflated by at least 126,000 voters.

Political analyst GHK Lall described the figures as “statistically suspicious,” noting:

“If from a population of 800,000, that is 94.71 percent eligible to vote. If it’s 850,000… it’s still… 89.14 percent.”

Calls for Reform from Civil Society

The Working People’s Alliance has urged civil society and regional observers to pressure GECOM to heed calls for biometric identification and a “clean list,” warning that continued inaction threatens the legitimacy of the upcoming elections.

Forward Guyana is even more forceful, demanding an independent forensic audit to address what it calls a “culture of negligence” within GECOM’s system. The group stated:

“Democracy is not a performance, and GECOM’s show is wearing thin.”

A recent Village Voice News report cited civil society fears that the number of registered voters may actually exceed the population, aggravated by the non-publication of the 2022 census.

GECOM and Government Pushback

GECOM maintains that it offers continuous registration and cannot legally remove names unless a registered person is confirmed deceased, citing constitutional constraints.

During a Claims and Objections period in early 2025, only nine objections were submitted—and none from opposition parties, who have publicly questioned the efficacy of the process. Attorney General Anil Nandlall challenged critics to provide evidence, noting:

“How about prove five or prove ten? …They cannot prove one.”

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton defended his party’s inaction by arguing that participating in GECOM’s process would legitimise it:

“To do that is to help the People’s Progressive Party. …We ain’t stupid… we have common sense.”

GECOM, for its part, is encouraging public scrutiny through the display of its Revised List of Electors (RLE)—though critics say such measures are too little, too late.

The Integrity of Guyana’s Democracy at Stake

The anonymous letter concludes with a poignant question:

“Do Guyanese not find it suspicious that there are an estimated 244,715 additional registered voters… than are living in Guyana, according to the Bureau of Statistics data?”

With almost half of the allegedly eligible voters unaccounted for by population data, and key reforms stalled, stakeholders warn that the 2025 elections could test the very foundations of Guyana’s democratic legitimacy.