The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is actively preparing for this year’s General and Regional Elections, and as part of this initiative, has announced a call for applications for polling day staff. The commission is looking for individuals to fill roles such as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, poll clerks, ballot clerks/counting clerks, and information clerks. Interested applicants are required to submit their applications by March 30.

According to the GECOM advertisement, applications can be made online at https://gecom.org.gy/public/home/apply, or candidates can download the application form from https://gecom.org.gy/public/home/post/120 and submit it in designated drop boxes located at GECOM’s Head Office or various GECOM Registration Offices. Additionally, completed forms can be scanned and emailed to applications@gecom.org.gy.

In a related development, the National Assembly has approved a budget allocation of $7.3 billion for GECOM, as the commission gears up for the upcoming elections. During the parliamentary discussions on the estimates and expenditures for the 2025 national budget, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, provided insights into how the funds will be utilized. She mentioned that approximately 19,000 individuals will receive training, with $193 million earmarked for educational programs and training for Election Day staff.

Teixeira also noted that $122 million has been allocated for renting private venues to serve as polling stations. While some polling venues will be available at no cost in public buildings, others will require rental payments. She remarked, “We have to have polling stations. Some may be free public buildings. Others may have to be rented.”

Moreover, an additional $427 million has been set aside specifically for civic education and public awareness campaigns, aimed at ensuring that voters are well-informed as the elections approach. Recently, GECOM reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the electoral process and upholding its integrity, emphasizing the importance of a free, fair, transparent, and credible election system that engenders public trust.

The commission stated, “GECOM takes this opportunity to categorically state that it will ensure the safeguards and integrity of its processes in the conduct of elections that will guarantee public confidence in a system that is free, fair, transparent, and credible.”