WIN Urges GECOM to Avoid Complicity in Vote Rigging- Grant Access to Polling Agents

As Guyana approaches its crucial September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party has raised alarms over what it deems a deliberate attempt by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to undermine its participation. The party has accused GECOM of unjustly rejecting its polling agents due to a missed deadline, a claim that has ignited serious concerns about the fairness and transparency of the upcoming elections.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Duarte Hetsberger, a WIN candidate, explained that the party had responded promptly to an email from GECOM regarding polling agent submissions received on Tuesday, August 26—just a day after the deadline had passed. Despite submitting the names on August 27 and 28, WIN was informed that it had missed the statutory deadline. Hetsberger criticised the late communication, highlighting the absence of essential contact information and the lack of timely notice.

“But what is it stake here is much bigger than a deadline,” Hetsberger remarked. He pointed out that “GECOM itself has been late, and not by one of two days. They have been late in the opening of proxy applications, they were late in the gazetting of polling stations, which by law was due 20 days before elections. In some cases, they were late in the notices of poll. So, how can GECOM demand perfection from political parties, when they themselves repeatedly missed their own statutory constitutional deadlines“

According to WIN, if the party is barred from placing polling agents in the stations, it risks losing oversight of the critical election process, which could open the door for fraud and manipulation. Natasha Singh-Lews, a prominent WIN official and candidate, stated that without agents monitoring the process, the election’s credibility would be severely compromised.

“We cannot and will not accept results from an election process that is hidden from scrutiny,” Singh declared.”This is not just about the WIN party, this is about the Guyanese people, every voter WIN, another party or no party at all, has a right to an election process that is credible, reliable, transparent.”

Civil Society Joins Call for Fairness

WIN’s concerns have been echoed by sections of Guyana’s civil society, which is calling on GECOM to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and allow WIN to participate fully by enrolling its polling agents. Activists and civic organisations have urged GECOM to ensure fairness and transparency by addressing WIN’s concerns, especially given the party’s rapid rise in popularity and growing grassroots support. Civil society groups are emphasising that disenfranchising WIN’s agents or any party’s agents could be seen as an attempt to skew the election in favor of the status quo.

“It is critical that GECOM creates the opportunities for WIN to have its polling agents enrolled and participate fully on election day,” one civic group representative stated. “Any attempt to block WIN’s agents would not only undermine the party but the very essence of our democratic process.”

GECOM’s Response and the Threat to Democracy

While GECOM maintains that WIN simply missed the deadline, with Chief Election Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud asserting that the party failed to comply within the prescribed period, WIN’s leadership is not convinced that GECOM is acting impartially. They argue that the Commission’s failure to meet its own deadlines is indicative of larger issues with its administration. WIN’s leadership is calling on GECOM to ensure that these issues are addressed before Election Day.

“We cannot stand by and watch this process be hijacked,” Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, a WIN candidate, stated. “The people of Guyana deserve better, and we will continue to push for a transparent, free, and fair election process.”

She further called on “GECOM  not become complicit in vote rigging, and do not undermine the very principles you were sworn to uphold and call on every Guyanese citizen to stand with WIN and democracy and stand for your right for a clean, fair and transparent vote.“

A Call for International Oversight

Given the growing concerns over GECOM’s actions and the risk of election manipulation, WIN is calling for international observers to monitor the election closely. WIN officials, including Singh-Lewis, emphasised that the party’s concerns are not just about their own participation but about preserving the rights of all Guyanese voters to a transparent election. “We are calling on international observers to watch closely and ensure that GECOM does not compromise the integrity of our elections,” Singh-Lewis concluded.

A Frightening Pattern

WIN’s bold stand against GECOM highlights a critical issue- the potential manipulation of the election process to favour one party over another. Whether or not the party succeeds in getting its polling agents approved, it has already won an important victory in drawing attention to the need for election reforms and stricter oversight.

With growing concerns about the credibility of the entire electoral process, the fate of the September 1 elections rests not only on the ballots cast but also on the commitment of institutions like GECOM will uphold the democratic principles they are sworn to protect.