THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), on Wednesday, confirmed that Nomination Day for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) will be on April 17, 2023.
This announcement was made by GECOM via a notice in the daily newspapers. In the public notice, it was stated that political parties, voluntary groups and individuals who are desirous of contesting the upcoming LGEs are required to submit a symbol for approval by GECOM no later than the 21st day before Nomination Day.
Further, it stated that those applications for symbols which must include printed and electronic versions of the symbols, must be submitted in sealed envelopes no later than March 24, 2023, to the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission.
The notice said: “Political parties, voluntary groups and individuals who have already applied for symbols for the upcoming Local Government Elections and who would have already submitted applications for the approval of symbols, need not reapply.”
Additionally, it was stated that the list of candidates submitted by any political party, voluntary group or individual candidate on Nomination Day must be accompanied by the pre-approved symbol.
Last month, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall wrote to the Chairperson of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh appointing June 12, 2023, as the date for the conduct of Guyana’s next Local Government Elections.
That date for the LGE polls was chosen based on the work plan that was submitted by GECOM to the minister.
Earlier in February, GECOM approved the said work plan for LGE which paved the way for the secretariat to proceed with the implementation of the relevant statutory and administrative activities for the elections in the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) countrywide.
The LGE was legally due in 2021 and the funds were budgeted to facilitate this; however, several issues facing GECOM at the time prevented the holding of the elections, including the non-appointment of a Chief Election Officer (CEO).