Guyana should follow Canada and allow vote recounting for the May elections

Dear Editor, Judicial recounts of votes being carried out in Canada has application for Guyana especially that the results of last May elections are disputed (by the PPP and minor parties alleging electoral fraud and demanding a recount that Gecom refused to carry out). Canada held elections on October 19 resulting in a change of government from Conservative to Liberals. The results in several of the closely fought seats were challenged. The declarations of the winners of those seats were held up as judicial recounts were ordered. The electoral authority did not refuse to carry out a recount when it was requested; the body wants to ensure fairness and not give an appearance that it is supporting one side over the other. However, in previous elections, when the election officials refused to carry out a recount, it was ordered by the court (on petition filed by a candidate and voters) under a judge´s supervision to clear doubts about a winner and to strengthen confidence in the election body to hold free and fair elections. In Canada, the manual recounts of all votes were carried out in some seats while others were counted under judicial supervision. The electoral body in Canada has nothing to hide about its work – professionalism and fairness. It did the recounts as required by law when requested. In one case, a candidate who lost by 132 votes withdrew his request and the unofficial winner was declared the winner. So far, none of the recounts have resulted in a reversal of the unofficial winner suggesting the work of the electoral body has been above and beyond fair play. In Canada, the recounts are mandatory if the vote margin between the first- and second-place candidates is less than one one-thousandth of the valid votes cast. Recounts can also be done at the request of a candidate if there are questions about miscounted or rejected ballots. The US and UK, as indeed all institutionalized democracies, allow for recounts and the courts have gotten involved when (biased) election officials refuse to carry out a recount. Judges intervene right away (like the next day), not months later. There were countless court cases in the US, UK, England, Australia, India, etc. ordering recounts and where the judge himself undertook the recount. It was brought to my attention that vote recounts are law and must be carried out in Canada, US and UK but the representatives of these very countries to Guyana opposed recounts in the May 11 elections. People are curious to know why requests for recounts were not supported to erase doubts about the legal winner especially that the outcome was so close and there were so many charges and allegations of election irregularities. Vishnu Bisram