In the upcoming election, scheduled for November 28, 2011, seven political parties will compete for the Presidency as well as the 65 seats in the National Assembly. The Guyanese people will also choose the members of 10 regional councils.

According to the electoral code, every person age 18 and above may vote in elections if s/he is either a citizen of Guyana or a Commonwealth citizen domiciled and resident in Guyana.  Members of the discipline forces (Military, police and prison officers) cast their ballots a week before the general election. .

The Republic of Guyana is an independent semi-presidential parliamentary republic that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The head of state is the President, who is elected indirectly. Parties fielding candidates for the assembly designate a leader who becomes President if that party receives the largest number of votes.

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

1. Alliance for Change (AFC), http://www.afcguyana.com/
2. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), https://www.apnuguyana.com/
3. People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), http://www.ppp-civic.org/new/
4. The United Force (TUF)

If you would like to have more information on the candidates please see: http://www.gecom.org.gy/ListOfCandidates_Final.html

Territorial Division
Guyana is divided into 10 administrative regions: Region 1, Barimi-Waini; Region 2, Pomeroon-Supenaam; Region 3, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara; Region 4, Demerara-Mahaica; Region 5, Mahaica-Berbice;  Region 6, East Berbice-Corentyne; Region 7, Cuyuni-Mazaruni;  Region 8, Potaro-Siparuni;  Region 9, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo;  Region 10, Upper Demerara-Berbice.

Population
Guyana’s population of 762,498 is diverse; the two largest groups are the Indo-Guyanese (43.5%) who have remained predominantly rural, and the Afro-Guyanese (30.2%), who constitute the majority urban population. The remaining 16.7% of the population are divided into a number of different groups.  More than 90% of the population lives along the coastal strip, where population density is more than 115 people per km2.
           
Religion
Approximately 57% of the population is Christian, 28% Hindu, 10% Muslim; 5% identify with other faiths. 

Languages
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi).