GECOM Bans Cell Phones inside polling stations, Netizens outcry

Guyana: The Guyana Elections Commission has announced a clear ban on using and bringing cell phones inside polling stations during Guyana’s General Elections on September 1. The commission made it clear and said that the decision will not be debated citing that large posters will be posted at the entrance and throughout every polling station as a strict warning.  

According to GECOM, the drastic step was taken to safeguard the integrity of the ballot and to ensure that a safe and genuine election process takes place. There were reports during the last elections that people photograph the ballots raising concerns of electoral integrity.  

“Every voter will be reminded of the need to turn off his or her cell phone before being given the ballot,” the commission stated 

GECOM cited on the seriousness of the announcement highlighting that if any voter is caught with an mobile phone during the electoral process, party agents and GECOM staff will raise an immediate alarm. The incident will be formally recorded and handed over to the Guyana Police Force for Investigations.  

However, in response to this decision taken, netizens are citing their opinions. A user named Travis Bovell stated, “The only method than can truly protect the secrecy of our votes at this point and safeguard the integrity of the electoral system is digital fingerprint voting called biometrics. You can fool all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool them all the time.”  

Another user named Marlon Hendricks said, “Doesn’t each ballot paper have a different serial number… doesn’t each serial # correspond with each id card #? The votes can be traced thru corresponding id # and ballot #’s….. the truth is that if it was to really come down to it each vote can be traced eventhough though it would take a long time.” 

Natasha Johnson, another user said, “It's my rights to vote with my phone longside me why this didn't happen 5 years ago Guyana is the land of many rules.”  

“Why can't we have electronic voting? If Trinidad could do so and get results by 10:00 pm wham to Guyana,” said Cheryl Gonsalves.