2023 Guyanese local elections

The 2023 Guyanese local elections, officially due since 2020, were held on Monday, June 12, 2023, following the latest delay of the officially biennial polls by three years due to lawsuits and vacanies at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) following the fallout and misconduct of the 2020 Guyanese general election and the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] All 1,220 council seats within 610 constituencies across Guyana's 80 local authority areas (LAAs), comprising 70 neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs) and 10 municipalities are being contested. GECOM has stated that voting is not required in 291 constituencies in which the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has won by acclamation due to no other candidates running against them.[2][3] As a result the PPP/C has retained control and has won allseats in LAAs such as the NDCs of Leguan, La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders, Canals Polder, Little Diamond/Herstelling, Ordnance Fort Lands/ No. 38, Kintyre/No. 37 or Borlam, Kilcoy/Hampshire, Port Mourant/John, Bloomfield/Whim, No. 64/No. 74, the municipality of Lethem and has also gained control of the Aranaputa/ Upper Burro Burro NDC. The PPP/C is hoping to win over A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/People's National Congress Reform (PNCR)opposition strongholds, campaigning heavily in Guyana's capital city, Georgetown, which has remained in APNU/PNCR control since independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Efforts by the PNCR to postpone or cancel the elections via litigation regarding the electoral roll and local government constituency boundaries, were dismissed by Guyana's High Court in the lead-up to these elections, claiming that, these issues are behind its no-contest of 291 constituencies across the 80 LAAs.[4] The opposition Alliance for Change (AFC), the junior coalition partner of the APNU, has boycotted the 2023 local elections over similar concerns.[5]

2023 Guyanese local elections

← 2018 June 12th 2023 2025 →

All 80 Local Authority Areas Electoral Areas
Opinion polls
 
Leader Bharrat Jagdeo Aubrey Norton
Party PPP/C APNU
Leader since 7 January 2017 18 December 2021
Last election 122,307 votes, 60.5%
52 Local Authority Areas
68,060 votes, 33.7%
23 Local Authority Areas

For the last election in 2018, there were 1192 council seats in 596 constituencies, across Guyana's 80 local authority areas, comprising 70 neighbourhood democratic council (NDCs) and 10 municipalities.[6][7]

Number of votes cast and seats held prior to the election

edit

The major political parties are defending the following numbers of electoral districts from local authority areas on election day:

These numbers are how many votes and seats each party had won at the previous election, in 2018, rather than which party held the seat on the eve of the election.

Eligibility to vote

edit

All registered electors (Guyanese, Commonwealth and Non-Commonwealth citizens) who will be aged 18 or over, resided legally in Guyana and have resided in an electoral district/constituency for a least two months prior to the election date are entitled to vote in the local elections.[12]

Parties, alliances and standings

edit

Political parties registered with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) can contest the local elections.

Party/Alliance Founded Ideology Leader(s) Leader since Last election Notes
% party vote Local authority areas Constituencies
APNU 2011 Centre-left to left-wing Aubrey Norton 18 December 2021
54.59%
23 / 80 (29%)
188 / 596 (32%)
PPP/C 1950 Centre-left to left-wing Bharrat Jagdeo 7 January 2017
60.5%
52 / 80 (65%)
386 / 596 (65%)

Campaign slogans

edit
Party Slogan
A Partnership for National Unity Stronger Together
Ready to lead
Experience Matters
People's Progressive Party/Civic Georgetown: A New Beginning for Georgetown[13]

Choose the PPP/C[14]
Let Us Do It Right

Opinion polls

edit

The North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) who commissions opinion polling for elections in the region, sampling the electorates' opinions, has been criticized for not being quantitative and instead being qualitative by containing no statistical figures whatsoever and also for not publishing its methodology, with missing information such as sample size, how the sample is chosen and margin of erro. The pollster has also been criticised for being outdated by not having a website where the full surveys can be accessible.[15][16]

Local authority area projections

edit
Date Pollster Sample
size
APNU PPP/C NOC
21 May 2023 2023 Mahdia school fire kills 19 children
3 January 2023 NACTA 500 Qualitative NACTA poll (no statistics/fieldwork) stating that the PPP/C will achieve a "sweeping victory" in the 2023 Guyanese local elections[17]
2 March 2020 PPP/C wins the 2020 Guyanese general election
12 November 2018 Local Election results[18] 23 52 5

Summary results

edit

Elections are conducted under both a proportional representation and first-past-the-post list system.

Party/Alliance Party/Alliance leader Candidates Local authority areas % of Constituencies % of constituencies Votes % of votes
2018 2023 +/- 2018 2023 +/- 2018 2023 +/- 2018 2023 +/- 2018 2023 +/- 2019 2023 +/-
APNU Aubrey Norton 279[19] 23 14  9 28.8% 17.5%  11.3% 188 31.5% 68,060 33.7%
PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo 610[20] 52 62  10 65.0% 77.5%  12.5% 386[21] 64.8% 122,307 60.5%
No overall control N/A 5 4  1 6.3% 5.0%  1.3% 22 3.7% 18,167 5.8%
Total 80 80   100% 100%   596 610   100% 100%   208,534 100% 100%  
Electorate: 629,033 Total votes: Turnout: %

Results by local authority areas

edit
Region Local authority areas[22] Prior to election[23] Post election
No. Name Seats Control APNU AFC PPP/C Other Unknown result of constituency seats Seats Control APNU PPP/C Other[24]
1 1 Port Kaituma/Matthews Ridge/Arakaka 12 PPP/C 4 1 7 - 12 PPP/C[25] 12 0
2 Municipality of Mabaruma 12 PPP/C[26] 4 0 8 - 14 PPP/C[27] 2 12
2 3 Moruka/Providence 6 NOC[28] 3 - 3 - 6
4 Nile/Cozier 6 PPP/C[28] 2 - 4 - 6
5 Charity/Urasara 18 PPP/C 1 - 16 1 (United Destiny Group - UDG) 18
6 Evergreen/Paradise 8 NOC[28] 4 - 4 0 18
7 Municipality of Anna Regina 16 PPP/C[28] 1 - 15 0 16 PPP/C[27] 1 15
8 Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt 16 PPP/C[28] 6 - 10 - 18
9 Annandale/Riverstown 18 PPP/C 1 - 17 - 18
10 Good Hope/Pomona 18 PPP/C 2 - 16 0 18
3 11 Leguan 18 PPP/C[29][30] 1 - 17 - 18 PPP/C[24] - 18 -
12 Wakenaam 18 PPP/C[29][30] 3 - 15 - 18
13 Mora/Parika 16 PPP/C[29][30] 4 0 12 0 (URP) 16
14 Hydronie/Good Hope[31] 14 PPP/C[29][30] 5 - 9 0 (URP) 14
15 Greenwich Park/Vergenogen 16 PPP/C[29][30] 3 - 13 0 (URP) 16
16 Tuschen/Uitvlugt 20 PPP/C[29][30] 1* 0 9* 10 20
17 Stewartville/Cornelia Ida 20 PPP/C[29][30] 1 0 19 0 (URP) 20
18 Hague/Blankenburg 18 APNU[29][30] 11 (Includes tie in Constituency No. 2: Hague– South of the Public Road) - 7 0 (URP) 18 PPP/C[32]
19 La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders 18 PPP/C[29][30] - 0 18 0 (URP) 18 PPP/C[24] - 18 -
20 The Best/Klien Pouderoyen 20 PPP/C[29][30] 8 0 12 0 (URP, IGFLD) 20
21 Malgre Tout/Meer-Zorgen 14 APNU[29][30] 8 - 6 0 (URP) 16
22 La Grange/Nismes 14 PPP/C[33][29][30] 6 0 8 0 (URP) 18
23 Canals Polder 18 PPP/C[29][30] 2 - 16 0 (URP) 18 PPP/C[24] - 18 -
24 Toevlugt/Free & Easy 16 PPP/C[33][29][30] 7 - 9 0 (URP) 18
4 25 Hauraruni/Yarowkabra 8 PPP/C 5 1 2 - 6
26 Lamaha/Yarowkabra 8 NOC[28] 4 0 4 0 (PDM) 10
27 Soesdyke/Huist Coverden 18 Unknown 4* - 5* 0 (TBEG) 9 18 PPP/C 6 12
28 Caledonia/Good Success 14 PPP/C[33] - - 6 1 (CCD) 18
29 Golden Grove/Diamond Place 18 PPP/C 4 0 14 0 (PVM) 18
30 Mocha/Arcadia 12 APNU 11 1[11] 0 - 12
31 Little Diamond/Herstelling 18 PPP/C 2 - 16 - 18 PPP/C[24] - 18 -
32 Eccles/Ramsburg 18 PPP/C 5 - 13 0 (PTTSOE) 18
33 Municipality of Georgetown[34] 30 APNU 21 2 7 0 (GNSP, URP) 30 APNU[27] 19 11 0 (ICP, MUD, AGNSP)
34 Industry/Plaisance 18 APNU[35] 5* - 4* - 9 18 NOC[35] 9 9
35 Better Hope/La Bonne Intention 18 PPP/C 3 - 15 - 18
36 Beterverwagting/Triumph 18 Unknown 4* - 3* 2* (BV/Triumph 8 May Movement) 9 18
37 Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance 18 PPP/C 2 - 16 - 18
38 Buxton/Foulis 18 PPP/C[28] 8 0 10 - 18 APNU [36]

[37]

10 8
39 Enmore/Hope[31] 18 PPP/C 1* - 8* - 9 18
40 Haslington/Grove[31] 18 APNU 11 1 6 0 (URP, AFT) 18
41 Unity/Vereeniging 18 Unknown 3* 0 6* - 9 18
42 Cane Grove 12 Unknown 1* - 5* - 6 12 PPP/C 0 12 -
5 43 Joe Hook No.10/Farm 14 PPP/C 7 1 6 - 16
44 Hamlet/Chance 6 APNU[38] 6 - 0 - 6
45 Mahaicony/Abary 16 PPP/C[33] 6 - 10 - 18
46 Profit/Rising Sun 12 APNU[38] 6 0 2 4 (PFA, UCD, DCR, USCD) 12
47 Seafield/Tempe 16 APNU 11 - 5 - 16
48 Union/Naarstigheid 18 APNU 11 1 6 - 18
49 Bath/Woodley Park 18 PPP/C 18[39] - 0 - 18
50 Woodlands/Bel Air 8 NOC 4 - 4 - 8
51 Zeelust/Rosignol 16 PPP/C[33] 3 - 13 18
52 Blairmont/Gelderland 14 PPP/C[33] 3 0 11 - 18
6 53 Plegtanker/Koortbradt[40] 8 APNU 5 3 8
54 Wyburg/Caracas 6 PPP/C[28] 2 4 6
55 Enfield/ New Doe Park[40] 16 PPP/C 5 11 16
56 Municipality of New Amsterdam[40] 14 APNU[26] 10 1 3 14 APNU[27] 8 6
57 Cane Field/Enterprise[40] 16 PPP/C 1 15 16
58 Ordnance Fort Lands/ No. 38[40] 14 PPP/C[33] 2 12 16 PPP/C[24] - 16 -
59 Kintyre/No. 37 or Borlam[40] 14 PPP/C 0 16 16 PPP/C[24] - 16 -
60 Gibraltar/Fyrish[40] 18 APNU 10 8 18
61 Kilcoy/Hampshire[40] 14 PPP/C 0 14 16 PPP/C[24] - 16 -
62 Port Mourant/John[40] 14 PPP/C 0 13 1 18 PPP/C[24] - 18 -
63 Municipality of Rose Hall[38][41][28][31] 16 PPP/C 5 11 14 PPP/C[27] 3 11
64 Bloomfield/Whim[40] 14 PPP/C[28] 1 13 14 PPP/C[24] - 14 -
65 Lancaster/Hogstye[40] 14 APNU 12 2 14
66 Adventure/ No. 28 or Bushlot 12 NOC[40][28] 6 - 6 - 14
67 Maida/Tarlogie 10 PPP/C 2 8 12
68 Macedonia/Joppa[40] 12 APNU 7 5 12
69 Black Bush Polder[40] 18 PPP/C 1 17 18
70 Good Hope/No. 51[40] 14 PPP/C 5 9 14
71 No. 52/No. 63[42] 18 PPP/C[33][40] 1 17 8
72 No. 64/No. 74[42] 10 PPP/C[24] - 10 -
73 Crabwood Creek/Molesen 14 PPP/C[40] 0 14 14
74 Municipality of Corriverton 16 PPP/C[28] 2[43] 14 16 PPP/C[27] 3 13
7 75 Municipality of Bartica 18 APNU[26] 13 1 4 - 18 NOC[44] 9 9
8 76 Municipality of Mahdia[26][11] 8 APNU 5 2 1 8 NOC[44] 4 4
9 77 Municipality of Lethem[38][45] 10 PPP/C[28] 4 6 10 PPP/C[24] - 10 -
78 Aranaputa/ Upper Burro Burro[45] 6 APNU 5 1 6 PPP/C[24] - 6 -
10 79 Municipality of Linden[38][46][31] 16 APNU[26] 13 2 1 16 APNU[27] 14 2
80 Kwakwani[46][31][47][11] 12 APNU+AFC[48] 4 3 (AFC wins subsequent tie-breaking by-election in Constituency No. 4)[47] 2 3 (KUFP) 12 APNU[49] 7 5
All 10 regions All 80 local authority areas 1192 17[11] 1220
Source: PPP/C wins 65% of PR seats at local gov't polls, LGE 2018: PPP takes 188 seats out of 261 in Region 6 in landslide victory,

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ GTIMES (2021-09-29). "With 2021 winding down: GECOM yet to commence discussions on hosting of LGE". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  2. ^ KNews (2023-05-06). "No Voting in Local Authority Areas where there is only one approved List of Candidates - GECOM". Kaieteur News. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  3. ^ "No voting required in 291 constituencies for LGE-GECOM". DPI Guyana. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  4. ^ Chabrol, Denis (2023-06-06). "Boundary gerrymandering will impact on APNU at local govt elections". Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  5. ^ "Guyana: AFC to boycott 2023 Local Govt Elections | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  6. ^ "Constituency boundaries adjusted for LGE 2023 – Min. Dharamlall". DPI Guyana. 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  7. ^ INEWS (2018-11-14). "LGE 2018: Despite challenges PPP/C says it won 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas". INews Guyana. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  8. ^ a b "APNU-AFC loses popularity in local elections". country.eiu.com. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  9. ^ GTIMES (2018-11-15). "PPP wins 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  10. ^ "APNU still tight-lipped on LGE participation". TEMPO Networks. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Percival, Thandeka (2018-11-24). "PPP/C won 61% of votes at local polls, APNU 34% -AFC nets 4%". Stabroek News. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  12. ^ "Who is eligible to vote?". ttconnect.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  13. ^ LGE 2023 || A New Beginning for Georgetown., retrieved 2023-05-30
  14. ^ "PPP/C on charm offensive in bid to win New Amsterdam". Stabroek News. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  15. ^ STAFF, AZP (2022-10-13). "Pollster Bisram: I'm No Mercenary". AZP News. Archived from the original on 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  16. ^ "Bisram: APNU must unite, like PPP/C". TEMPO Networks. 2022-10-20. Archived from the original on 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  17. ^ Staff Reporter (2023-02-09). "NACTA Poll: PPP to make gains in LGE 2023". Indo Caribbean Diaspora News. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  18. ^ "PPP/C claims victory by virtue of winning more seats". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  19. ^ GUYANA NEWS ROOOM - APNU ONLY CONTESTING 279 OF 610 CONSTITUENCIES FOR LGE, retrieved 2023-05-30
  20. ^ "'A walkover victory' - Nandlall foresees a PPP/C win at LGEs". Guyana Chronicle. 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  21. ^ Chabrol, Denis (2018-11-18). "PNCR/APNU admits disenchantment caused low voter turnout; whips up death squad fears to galvanise 2020 votes". Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  22. ^ "Weekend Mirror 27-28 May 2023 by Weekend Mirror - Issuu". issuu.com. 2023-05-28. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  23. ^ "Guyana Elections Commission". Guyana Elections Commission. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "46 parties, voluntary groups and individuals contesting LGE". Guyana Chronicle. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  25. ^ Chabrol, Denis (2023-06-13). "Jagdeo boasts of inroads in PNCR-APNU areas, Norton says that's because of bribery". Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  26. ^ a b c d e "LGE 2018: APNU takes clean sweep of Georgetown". News Room Guyana. 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m GTIMES (2018-11-15). "PPP wins 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "APNU dethrones PPP to control Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen NDC". DPI Guyana. 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "APNU wins Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen NDC". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  31. ^ a b c d e f "Guyana Chronicle E-paper 11-14-2018 by Guyana Chronicle - Issuu". issuu.com. 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  32. ^ "PPP wins townships, NDCs previously controlled by APNU for the first time". DPI Guyana. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h INEWS (2018-11-14). "LGE 2018: Despite challenges PPP/C says it won 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas". INews Guyana. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  34. ^ Chabrol, Denis (2018-11-13). "It's Official: PPP clinches 7 seats; APNU 21; AFC 2 in Georgetown City Council". Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  35. ^ a b "PPP/C, APNU have nine seats each at Industry/Plaisance council". Stabroek News. 2023-06-15. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  36. ^ Nazima Raghubir [@nazrag] (June 15, 2023). "Little known fact - Buxton/Foulis is the largest NDC in Guyana" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 June 2023 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "APNU reclaims control of Buxton/Foulis NDC from PPP/C". Stabroek News. 2023-06-15. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  38. ^ a b c d e GTIMES (2018-11-13). "PPP takes control of Lethem, Rose Hall, Corriverton municipalities". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  39. ^ "LGEs results in Reg. 5 | PPP picks up 75 seats, APNU 57". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q GTIMES (2018-11-14). "PPP records land slide victory in Region 6 at LGE". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  41. ^ INEWS (2018-11-14). "LGE 2018: PPP takes 188 seats out of 261 in Region 6 in landslide victory". INews Guyana. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  42. ^ a b "Local Gov't Elections: Most boundary changes reflect pre-2018 demarcations". News Room Guyana. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  43. ^ GTIMES (2018-11-14). "PPP records land slide victory in Region 6 at LGE". Guyana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  44. ^ a b "LGE 2023: What happens when there is a tie?". News Room Guyana. 2023-06-15. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  45. ^ a b "Elections smooth – GECOM". Stabroek News. 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  46. ^ a b "APNU wins 5 municipalities". guyanatimesinternational. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  47. ^ a b "AFC secures one more seat in Kwakwani". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  48. ^ "Independent group grabs three seats in Kwakwani". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  49. ^ "PPP/C made inroads in Kwakwani but APNU retains control". Stabroek News. 2023-06-18. Retrieved 2023-06-19.