Electoral stakeholders have strongly condemned the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) decision to permit voters to carry cellphones into polling booths for the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections, warning that it threatens the integrity of the vote.
“An Attack on Democracy”
Prominent trade unionist Lincoln Lewis labeled the policy “reckless” and “an attack on the very foundation of our democracy.” In his Eye on Guyana column last Sunday, he emphasised that ballot secrecy, hard-won by generations of labour activists like Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, is now endangered.
“Leaders … sacrificed much to secure the right to vote in secret. … Allowing cellphones inside voting booths opens the door to abuse on a large scale. … We must reject this assault on our democratic rights.”
Lewis warned that cellphones enable “proof voting,” where individuals photograph marked ballots in exchange for money, effectively turning democracy into a transaction.
“Undermining Transparency”
Opposition-appointed Commissioner Vincent Alexander has consistently criticised the policy as undermining electoral credibility, warning that voters may be coerced into photographing their ballots for proof of compliance with vote-buying schemes.
“There is a rumour that people are being paid … they take a picture to show to the party as proof of how they voted.”
Alexander also highlighted that GECOM previously voted against requiring voters to lodge cellphones before entering booths, a position he contends would be essential to preserving ballot secrecy. While photographing marked ballots is illegal, allowing devices inside still opens the door to abuse.
Although a reconsideration of the policy is underway with discussions about designating separate phone-storage desks, no final reversal has been confirmed.
“A Reckless Decision”
In a scathing op-ed, respected jurist Roysdale Forde S.C. denounced GECOM’s policy as a “reckless decision” that compromises the fundamental democratic principle of ballot secrecy.
“GECOM’s refusal to prohibit cell phones in polling stations … jeopardises these core tenets, casting a grave shadow over the integrity of Guyana’s upcoming elections.”
Forde warned that allowing cellphones could enable vote buying and intimidation, noting that a phone is not just a communication tool but also a “camera, a recorder, and a potential instrument of coercion.” He asserted that such a policy misuses institutional trust and undermines democracy itself.
As voters approaches a pivotal election, these voices underscore the urgent need for GECOM to reconsider and prioritise democratic principles over convenience.
