The number of political parties, voluntary groups or individual candidates contesting the Local Government Elections will be tallied today as midnight last night was the deadline for submission of symbols to the Guyana Elections Commission.
Deputy Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud confirmed to Stabroek News that both the Coalition APNU+AFC and the People’s Progressive Party have submitted their symbols.
He also noted that as the deadline is finite any entity wishing to contest after last night is no longer eligible.
GECOM will now have 14 days to either approve or reject the symbols that were submitted. Persaud noted that the commission did not envisage that any symbols would be rejected but said that was to be determined by the commission within the 14-day period.
The commission will also have the authority to decide the grace period, should any symbols be rejected, for resubmission.
Nomination Day for the polls is Tuesday, January 26, 2016. Any List of Candidates submitted by any political party, voluntary group or individual candidates on Nomination Day without the required pre-approved symbol will be deemed defective.
Local Government Elections are to be held on March 18, 2016, and all those wishing to contest were required to submit applications for approval of their symbols to GECOM not later than 21 days before Nomination Day for the Elections.
