The 2023 Guyanese local elections, officially due since 2020, were held on Monday, June 12, 2023, following the latest delay of the officially biennial polls by three years due to lawsuits and vacancies at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) following the fallout and misconduct of the 2020 Guyanese general election and the COVID-19 pandemic. All 1,220 council seats within 610 constituencies across Guyana's 80 local authority areas (LAAs), comprising 70 neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs) and 10 municipalities are being contested. GECOM stated that voting is not required in 291 constituencies in which the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has won by acclamation due to no other candidates running against them. As a result the PPP/C retained control and won all seats in LAAs such as the NDCs of Leguan, La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders, Canals Polder, Little Diamond/Herstelling, Ordnance Fort Lands/ No. 38, Kintyre/No. 37 or Borlam, Kilcoy/Hampshire, Port Mourant/John, Bloomfield/Whim, No. 64/No. 74, the municipality of Lethem and gained control of the Aranaputa/ Upper Burro Burro NDC. The PPP/C is hoping to win over A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/People's National Congress Reform (PNCR)opposition strongholds, campaigning heavily in Guyana's capital city, Georgetown, which has remained in APNU/PNCR control since independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Efforts by the PNCR to postpone or cancel the elections via litigation regarding the electoral roll and local government constituency boundaries, were dismissed by Guyana's High Court in the lead-up to these elections, claiming that, these issues are behind its no-contest of 291 constituencies across the 80 LAAs. The opposition Alliance for Change (AFC), the junior coalition partner of the APNU, has boycotted the 2023 local elections over similar concerns.

For the last election in 2018, there were 1192 council seats in 596 constituencies, across Guyana's 80 local authority areas, comprising 70 neighbourhood democratic council (NDCs) and 10 municipalities.

Number of votes cast and seats held prior to the election The major political parties are defending the following numbers of electoral districts from local authority areas on election day:

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – 68,060 votes (33.7%), 188 Proportional Representation seats (31.5%), 23 local authority areas People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – 122,307 votes (60.5%), 386 Proportional Representation seats (64.8%), 52 local authority areas Alliance for Change (AFC) – 8,719 votes (4.18%), 14 Proportional Representation seats (31.5%), 0 local authority areas Four different voluntary groups – 2,995 votes (1.44%), 8 Proportional Representation seats (1.34%), 0 local authority areas

These numbers are how many votes and seats each party had won at the previous election, in 2018, rather than which party held the seat on the eve of the election.

Eligibility to vote All registered electors (Guyanese, Commonwealth and Non-Commonwealth citizens) who are aged 18 or over, reside legally in Guyana and have resided in an electoral district/constituency for a least two months prior to the election date are entitled to vote in the local elections.

Parties, alliances and standings Political parties registered with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) can contest the local elections.

Party/AllianceFoundedIdeologyLeader(s)Leader sinceLast electionNotes % party voteLocal authority areasConstituencies 2011Centre-left to left-wingAubrey Norton18 December 2021 1950Centre-left to left-wingBharrat Jagdeo7 January 2017

Campaign slogans PartySloganA Partnership for National UnityStronger Together Ready to lead Experience MattersPeople's Progressive Party/Civic Georgetown: A New Beginning for Georgetown Choose the PPP/C Let Us Do It Right

Opinion polls The North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) who commissions opinion polling for elections in the region, sampling the electorates' opinions, has been criticized for not being quantitative and instead being qualitative by containing no statistical figures whatsoever and also for not publishing its methodology, with missing information such as sample size, how the sample is chosen and margin of erro. The pollster has also been criticised for being outdated by not having a website where the full surveys can be accessible.

Local authority area projections

DatePollsterSamplesizeNOC21 May 20232023 Mahdia school fire kills 19 children3 January 2023NACTA500Qualitative NACTA poll (no statistics/fieldwork) stating that the PPP/C will achieve a "sweeping victory" in the 2023 Guyanese local elections2 March 2020PPP/C wins the 2020 Guyanese general election12 November 2018Local Election results–23525

Summary results Elections are conducted under both a proportional representation and first-past-the-post list system.

Party/AllianceParty/Alliance leaderCandidatesLocal authority areas% of Constituencies % of constituenciesVotes % of votes20182023+/-20182023+/-20182023+/-20182023+/-20182023+/-20192023+/- Aubrey Norton2792314928.8%17.5%11.3%18831.5%68,06033.7% Bharrat Jagdeo61052621065.0%77.5%12.5%38664.8%122,30760.5%No overall control N/A5416.3%5.0%1.3%223.7%18,1675.8%Total8080100%100%596 610100%100%208,534100%100%Electorate: 629,033 Total votes: Turnout: %

Results by local authority areas RegionLocal authority areasPrior to electionPost electionNo.NameSeatsControlAPNUAFCPPP/COtherUnknown result of constituency seatsSeatsControlAPNUPPP/COther11Port Kaituma/Matthews Ridge/Arakaka12PPP/C417 -12PPP/C1202Municipality of Mabaruma12PPP/C408 -14PPP/C21223Moruka/Providence6NOC3 -3 -64Nile/Cozier6PPP/C2 -4 -65Charity/Urasara18PPP/C1 -161 (United Destiny Group - UDG)186Evergreen/Paradise8NOC4 -40187Municipality of Anna Regina16PPP/C1 -15016PPP/C1158Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt16PPP/C6 -10 -189Annandale/Riverstown 18PPP/C1 -17 -1810Good Hope/Pomona18PPP/C2 -16018311Leguan 18PPP/C1 -17 -18PPP/C -18 -12Wakenaam18PPP/C3 -15 -1813Mora/Parika16PPP/C40120 (URP)1614Hydronie/Good Hope14PPP/C5 -90 (URP)1415Greenwich Park/Vergenogen16PPP/C3 -130 (URP)1616Tuschen/Uitvlugt20PPP/C1*09*102017Stewartville/Cornelia Ida20PPP/C10190 (URP)2018Hague/Blankenburg18APNU11 (Includes tie in Constituency No. 2: Hague– South of the Public Road) -70 (URP)18PPP/C19La Jalousie/Nouvelle Flanders18PPP/C -0180 (URP)18PPP/C -18 -20The Best/Klien Pouderoyen 20PPP/C80120 (URP, IGFLD)2021Malgre Tout/Meer-Zorgen14APNU8 -60 (URP)1622La Grange/Nismes14PPP/C6080 (URP)1823Canals Polder 18PPP/C2 -160 (URP)18PPP/C -18 -24Toevlugt/Free & Easy16PPP/C7-90 (URP)18425Hauraruni/Yarowkabra8PPP/C512 -626Lamaha/Yarowkabra8NOC4040 (PDM)1027Soesdyke/Huist Coverden18Unknown4* -5*0 (TBEG)918PPP/C61228Caledonia/Good Success14PPP/C - -61 (CCD)1829Golden Grove/Diamond Place18PPP/C40140 (PVM)1830Mocha/Arcadia12APNU1110 -1231Little Diamond/Herstelling18PPP/C2 -16 -18PPP/C -18 -32Eccles/Ramsburg18PPP/C5 -130 (PTTSOE)1833Municipality of Georgetown30APNU21270 (GNSP, URP)30APNU19110 (ICP, MUD, AGNSP)34Industry/Plaisance18APNU5* -4* -918NOC9935Better Hope/La Bonne Intention18PPP/C3 -15 -1836Beterverwagting/Triumph18Unknown4* -3*2* (BV/Triumph 8 May Movement)91837Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance 18PPP/C2 -16 -1838Buxton/Foulis 18PPP/C8010 -18APNU 10839Enmore/Hope18PPP/C1* -8* -91840Haslington/Grove18APNU11160 (URP, AFT)1841Unity/Vereeniging18Unknown3*06* -91842Cane Grove 12Unknown1* -5* -612PPP/C012 -543Joe Hook No.10/Farm14PPP/C716 -1644Hamlet/Chance 6APNU6-0 -645Mahaicony/Abary16PPP/C6 -10 -1846Profit/Rising Sun12APNU6024 (PFA, UCD, DCR, USCD)1247Seafield/Tempe16APNU11 -5 -1648Union/Naarstigheid18APNU1116 -1849Bath/Woodley Park18PPP/C18 -0 -1850Woodlands/Bel Air8NOC4 -4 -851Zeelust/Rosignol16PPP/C3 -131852Blairmont/Gelderland 14PPP/C3011 -18653Plegtanker/Koortbradt8APNU53854Wyburg/Caracas6PPP/C24655Enfield/ New Doe Park16PPP/C5111656Municipality of New Amsterdam14APNU101314APNU8657Cane Field/Enterprise16PPP/C1151658Ordnance Fort Lands/ No. 3814PPP/C21216PPP/C -16 -59Kintyre/No. 37 or Borlam14PPP/C01616PPP/C -16 -60Gibraltar/Fyrish18APNU1081861Kilcoy/Hampshire14PPP/C01416PPP/C -16 -62Port Mourant/John14PPP/C013118PPP/C -18 -63Municipality of Rose Hall16PPP/C51114PPP/C31164Bloomfield/Whim14PPP/C11314PPP/C -14 -65Lancaster/Hogstye14APNU1221466Adventure/ No. 28 or Bushlot 12NOC6 -6 -1467Maida/Tarlogie10PPP/C281268Macedonia/Joppa12APNU751269Black Bush Polder18PPP/C1171870Good Hope/No. 5114PPP/C591471No. 52/No. 6318PPP/C117872No. 64/No. 7410PPP/C -10 -73Crabwood Creek/Molesen 14PPP/C0141474Municipality of Corriverton16PPP/C21416PPP/C313775Municipality of Bartica18APNU1314 -18NOC99876Municipality of Mahdia8APNU5218NOC44977Municipality of Lethem10PPP/C4610PPP/C -10 -78Aranaputa/ Upper Burro Burro6APNU516PPP/C -6 -1079Municipality of Linden16APNU132116APNU14280Kwakwani12APNU+AFC43 (AFC wins subsequent tie-breaking by-election in Constituency No. 4)23 (KUFP)12APNU75All 10 regionsAll 80 local authority areas1192171220Source: PPP/C wins 65% of PR seats at local gov't polls, LGE 2018: PPP takes 188 seats out of 261 in Region 6 in landslide victory,

See also 2020 Guyanese general election 2020 Guyanese protests 2023 Trinidadian local elections

References