Voters outside St John's School in Mount Moriah.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
AT least 65 percent of registered voters voted last week in what was likely the lowest general election turnout in the modern history of The Bahamas.
The Parliamentary Registration Department released the general election’s official results on Saturday, which confirmed that the Progressive Liberal Party won 32 seats while the Free National Movement won seven seats in the House of Assembly.
The official turnout figure, which will include those who participated in the process but spoiled their ballots, has yet to be released by the department.
Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson could not say yesterday when the voter turnout information will be released. He said officials were currently processing that information.
Although voter turnout in The Bahamas has traditionally been among the highest in the region — around 90 percent — this year’s result departed from the norm, as voter turnout has plummeted by about 20 percent compared to the 2017 general election.
In 2017, the voter turnout was 88 percent.
In Bamboo Town, for instance, there were at least 1,249 fewer votes this year than in 2017, while 1,279 fewer people voted in Marco City this time around. In one case, West End Grand Bahama and Bimini MP-elect Obie Wilchcombe, a returning candidate from the last election, received more votes while losing in 2017 than he did while winning this year. He won 2,375 votes in 2017 and still lost his seat. This year he carried the seat with 2,034 votes.
Generally, voter turnout differences were more pronounced in New Providence and Grand Bahama than in the Family Island constituencies.
The Progressive Liberal Party and many Free National Movement insiders are blaming former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ snap election decision for the poor turnout, with many concluding that the unfavourable COVID-19 climate discouraged people from voting.
In his victory speech last week, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was quick to blame the actions of the previous administration for the turnout, saying: “Many of you didn’t vote at all today because the snap election took you by surprise and you weren’t able to register on time or because transferring from one constituency to another was deliberately made too difficult for you. Many of you did not vote today because you are afraid of being exposed to the virus. The protocols to protect voters were only published at the last minute. It is the first time in our modern history that a government has worked to disenfranchise voters and suppress turnout.”
The closest races this cycle included Central and South Abaco, which the PLP’s John HW Pinder won by 73 votes over the FNM’s Vandea Stuart; North Eleuthera, which the PLP’s Sylvanus Petty won by 94 votes over the FNM’s Howard Mackey; and St Barnabas, which the FNM’s Shanendon Cartwright won over the PLP’s Michael Halkitis by 111 votes.
Some former FNM Cabinet ministers lost their seats by 300 to 400 votes, including former Works Minister Desmond Bannister, former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, former National Security Minister Marvin Dames, and former Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson.
Others lost by larger margins, including former Environment Minister Romauld Ferriera, who lost by 1,166 votes; former Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell who lost by 988 votes; former Education Minister Jeff Lloyd who lost by 663 votes; former Health Minister Renward Wells who lost by 645 votes and former Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar who lost by 409 votes.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield lost by 259 votes. Former FNM Cabinet ministers Dr Minnis, Iram Lewis, Kwasi Thompson and Michael Pintard all won their seats.
Thirty-two is the most seats the PLP has won in a general election since 1982. It is also the highest percentage of seats the party has won since that time. Seven seats, meanwhile, is the fewest number of seats the FNM has won since 1977.
Comments
The_Oracle 3 years, 2 months ago
People get tired of the Political Rhetoric, promises that vanish, overall corruption, nepotism, waste of the limited resources, ineptitude. Add to that potential Covid exposure, snap election, and a serious anti Minnis sentiment, and splinter groups bleeding off votes but still winning no seats, you get a flip flop. Again.
Cobalt 3 years, 2 months ago
Yup
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
The election turnout was very low for only one reason which the vast majority of us know only too well, but which The Tribune's editorial staff apparently prefer not be mentioned. It's certainly no secret to the international lending community. LMAO
One 3 years, 2 months ago
Say what you mean with complete information. Assume we know nothing, even if it may be obvious to you.
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
I would happily do so but any reference to the close ties the PLP political elite have with Red China seem to now draw the wrath of The Tribune's editorial staff. Oh well, it's abundantly clear it's a New Day with a New Sheriff in town. LOL
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 2 months ago
"The official turnout figure, which will include those who participated in the process but spoiled their ballots, has yet to be released by the department.
Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson could not say yesterday when the voter turnout information will be released. He said officials were currently processing that information."
Why? What takes them so long to tabulate ballots and provide basic information? The election was Thursday, it is now Monday.
moncurcool 3 years, 2 months ago
The fact that Davis believes that people did not turn out to vote because of a so called snap election (which he was advocating for but now trying to distance himself from, always calling for Minnis to ring the bell) is symptomatic of the fact that he is not a leader, does not have hindsight, insight, or foresight, and does not wish to admit that the people did not want Minnis and they did not want Davis either.
realfreethinker 3 years, 2 months ago
You are quite correct. People just weren't interested in either of them. The fnms who didn't want doc couldn't stomach voting for bwave so they stayed home. We are in trouble when brave said one of the reasons for low voter turn was people didn't register. Please tell him that the low turn out was among registered voters
KapunkleUp 3 years, 2 months ago
Maybe nobody wanted to serve jury duty during Covid...
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Nothing escapes you....ROWL
licks2 3 years, 2 months ago
I would like to see the official number as well. WHY NOT? It is not that I don't know how to obtain that data from the raw tabulations given! But it don't look good that they gave no total for votes cast or voters registered. . .but can give how many votes for each candidate!! What up with that?
But I must say. . .HOW CAN ANYONE OF YOU SAY HOW MR DAVIS WOULD BE AS PM WHEN HE HAS NEVER BEEN PM BEFORE?? My my my. . .here we go again. . .throwing nanny on the wall and hope some of it sticks!!
Just as I used to say when it was Doc's time in office. . .when we are not willing to be honest in our assessments of a political party does nothing to help our nation as we move forward!! As the world was watching when we "refused" to be honest in our assessments of PM Minnis. . .they are still watching if we fail to be honest in our assessments and criticisms of PM Davis!!
So again. . .I call on persons on this site to "act" like ya have some sense. . .the world still watching yinna!
John 3 years, 2 months ago
Up until the early part of this year, Minnis had sufficient support to, at least get re-elected but with fewer seats. Then he started his game of musical chairs as to when the elections will called. He should have went on a campaign to get more young people registered instead. People started to grow wary of when the elections wou be called. Some tried to do a balancing act to ensure they would be here (Bahamas) and available to vote if the elections were called. In the main time the Covid pandemic raged. There were unprecedented numbers of cases and deaths. People were being urged to get vaccinated and to stay home as much as possible. And then Minnis called the Election. Some people had already decided they were not going to take the risk to go vote. Then the early voting came up and was described as mad chaos. No social distancing, long lines, and little in terms of safety measures to protect voters. Then the debate came up about persons in quarantine. The Meltdown Minister said the police would be patrolling the polls and will arrest anyone that is supposed to be in quarantine. And the narrative then changed as to whether these people were being disenfranchised and should be allowed to vote. Then at the ninth hour it was announced that these quarantine persons will be allowed to vote and would attend the polls as part of the general population. This alone caused many people not to show up. And that is why New Providence and Grand Bahama are tge most affected by tge low voter turnout
licks2 3 years, 2 months ago
Don't forget the "games" they played with Public Servants about when, who and why they may or may not get their arears. . .one month. . ."yinna gettin the money the end er did month". . .to get no money at the end of the month! Again, " get ti straight, it coming the end of this month. . .again". . .sure to faith, the end of another month and no money in the bank!! By the third time the PS dem een had no more :stomach" for doc and his amature "schemers" trying to swing them to win votes. . .they basically decoded that they will "get rid of heem". . .
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