By Saskia Warrick | January 20, 2025
As the 2025 general elections approach, the opposition continues to call for the implementation of biometric voter verification.
However, the proposal faces significant legal and logistical obstacles, according to Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner Sase Gunraj.
Gunraj explained that the current legal framework does not support the widespread adoption of biometric verification, specifically the digital recapture of fingerprints for election-day identification.
He pointed out that implementing such a measure could potentially violate previous court rulings, particularly decisions made in 1997 and 2019.
These rulings determined that imposing additional requirements on already registered voters could be deemed unconstitutional.
The push for biometric verification would therefore require substantial legal adjustments before it could be considered.
In addition to legal concerns, Gunraj highlighted the practical challenges of rolling out biometric systems before the 2025 elections.
These challenges include the need for extensive procurement of equipment, staff training, system testing, and public education efforts.
Gunraj argued that attempting to implement such a system in a short timeframe would likely result in operational failures and errors, making it unfeasible for the upcoming elections.
Currently, fingerprints are already used in the voter registration process to prevent double registration.
However, extending their use to election-day verification would require significant changes to both the legal framework and operational processes of the elections.
The proposal for biometric verification continues to be a contentious issue as the 2025 elections draw closer, with further discussions expected in the coming months.