The Judicialisation of Elections in Guyana: A Case Study of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections

This article examines the extent to which it can be argued that the March 2020 election in Guyana signals the saliency of the judiciary into the elections. Based on an analysis of the factors surrounding the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections in Guyana, we argue that resort to the courts by political parties to address political conflicts is an example of the use by political parties of the decision-making power of the courts over matters which traditionally have been resolved by political actors. While a significant body of work exists on the judicialisation of politics, no study has yet to systematically interrogate the judicialisation of politics broadly speaking and specifically electoral politics in the Commonwealth Caribbean and the use of the courts by political actors for politics. The article will focus on eight high profile cases in Guyana beginning in 2018 to July 2020. This article therefore contributes to the body of knowledge by questioning the increasing significance of courts in elections in Guyana as seen through the developments preceding and following the March 2, 2020 elections.