Electoral System

The Constitution of Guyana provides for a sixty-five seat unicameral National Assembly. Twenty-five members are elected from ten multi-member geographic constituencies and the remaining forty are elected from a national ‘top-up’ list. Guyana operates with a closed list system in which voters mark the ballot for a party, not a named candidate.

Each party contesting seats for the National Assembly must nominate candidates in at least six geographic constituencies, or alternatively for at least 13 of the 25 national constituency seats. Parties that do not field the requisite number of candidates are not allowed to participate in the electoral process.

The Representation of the People Act (Cap.1:03, 11B 5 & 6) prescribes that at least one third of the persons on a party’s top up lists and one third of the persons contesting in all geographical constituencies for a party, must be female.

Guyana’s ten geographical constituencies coincide with its ten administrative regions



In Guyana, the President is the Head of State and is indirectly elected.  In nominating candidates for the elections, each political party must designate a leader who will become President if the party wins a majority of votes.  There is a two-term limit on the presidency in Guyana and each term lasts for five years. The President appoints the Prime Minister, other ministers, the attorney general and other high-ranking officials.¹

The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and functions as the principal assistant to the President in the discharge of executive functions.  S/He also leads government business in the National Assembly and advises the President in the general direction of the government.  Should the President’s office become vacant, the Prime Minister assumes the office of President.  In practice, the Prime Ministerial candidate is also identified prior to the elections, although this is not constitutionally mandated.²

The Electoral System in Guyana allows for the possibility of a mixed government, in which the Executive does not enjoy a parliamentary majority.

The Local Democratic Organs Act No. 12 of 1980 provides for the election of members of the Regional Democratic Councils.³   Regional elections are held every five years, along with the National elections.  Any contesting political party can submit candidates for election to any of the ten Regional Democratic Councils. Only persons residing and registered as electors in a particular region may vote for members of the relevant Council.  Councils may contain not less than 12 and no more than 36 members.

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