The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LONG lines, hours-long waits and scenes of confusion at yesterday’s advance poll have intensified scrutiny of the Parliamentary Registration Department, raising concerns about whether it is ready to manage the far larger and more complex demands of Election Day.

What was believed to be the last vote of the day was cast at 10pm last night- four hours after the polling was supposed to have ended.

The breakdown unfolded after weeks of complaints from the Free National Movement about the electoral process, concerns the government had repeatedly dismissed while defending the department’s preparedness.

The advance poll instead exposed visible strain across multiple polling stations, with some voters reportedly waiting five hours or more to cast ballots, others leaving in frustration, and voting continuing well past the official closing time in some cases.

Polls scheduled to close at 6pm remained active in some areas until after 8pm, with stations extending hours to accommodate backlogs.

Even Progressive Liberal Party candidates acknowledged shortcomings in the process.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis appeared visibly upset while speaking with his team during a stop at Sadie Curtis and declined to respond to questions from reporters.

“I voted at Doris Johnson, and I was just telling the PM, we gonna have to double the amount of rooms that's going to be open for people to vote,” said Leslie Miller, a former Cabinet minister and MP who was with Mr Davis. “It took me two and a half hours to vote today, okay, tremendous.”

PLPs Sebas Bastian, McKell Bonaby, Myles Laroda and Mario Bowleg also said more polling rooms should have been provided to ease congestion, particularly for elderly and disabled voters. Mr Bastian said the experience would inform adjustments ahead of Election Day.

At multiple sites, the problems were immediate and visible.

At Kendal Isaacs Gym, which served voters in Englerston, Garden Hills and St Barnabas, delays mounted early after the exit door was not opened at the start of the day, creating a bottleneck as lines swelled outside.

Tavia McIntosh said the process inside the polling station was smooth but described the conditions outside as “terrible.”

"You see the crowd? It is unorganised," she said. "I hope it [the general election] doesn't be like this."

Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles later arrived to help restore order at the site.

At Thelma Gibson Primary, voters reported confusion over directions.

Cynthia Sealy, 76, said she was sent to multiple incorrect locations before finding where she needed to vote.

"First of all, I was directed to two wrong areas,” she said. “You go this way after I get there. No, no, you have to go that way after I would have got there.”

Conditions outside polling stations drew complaints.

Antonae Burrows said voters were left standing in the sun for extended periods without adequate shelter, describing the process as failing those it was meant to serve.

At CV Bethel, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands pointed to severe overcrowding, noting that one polling room was assigned approximately 1,200 voters.

“Perhaps one of the worst situations of the day is Bamboo Town has 1,200 people on the advanced poll, and one room,” he said. “One. One. One. So people have been waiting four, five, six hours. Okay?”

At HO Nash, tensions escalated when some people were allowed to bypass lines, prompting protests from voters who shouted that the process was unfair.

Some elderly voters fainted while waiting in the heat.

One voter in his mid-70s left the line after about 45 minutes, saying he could not endure the conditions.

“This ain’t the first election these people been through,” he said. “They been through many and I ain’t never seen it like this.”

Michelle Dames, another Mount Moriah voter, also left without voting after waiting, calling for a system that better accommodates vulnerable groups.

"Somebody just fell out over there from standing so long,” she said. “Even though some persons are trying to provide chairs, that ain't cutting it."

During a press conference, FNM legal advisor Khalil Parker emphasised issues beyond management of the voting process. He expressed concerns about ballots being signed or counterfoils completed before voters arrived, the absence of a properly segregated list for advance poll voters, and a late decision allowing some people to vote based on approved applications even if they were not yet on the register.

“So now,” he said, “we have to deal with the fact that we, there's going to need to be a reconciliation between those who voted, but were not on the register, and those who voted and were on the register to make sure that when we begin on election day, there is a mitigation or a correction or an updating of the official records at PRD, so that duplicating voters isn't a substantive concern in that event.”

He said the FNM would demand an urgent meeting with the department to address the issues before Election Day.

Despite the widespread issues, the Parliamentary Registration Department said it remains prepared for the general election, noting that Election Day will involve more polling stations, increased staffing and expanded logistical support.

The department acknowledged the disruption, pointing to what it described as an “unprecedented” turnout.

“This is the first time in Bahamian history that this number of persons has participated in the advance poll, with especially strong participation among elderly voters,” the PRD said.

The department said the volume exceeded projections, placing pressure on logistics and processing times. It said a review was underway and adjustments would be made to improve voter flow and coordination.

The department’s reference to “unprecedented” turnout was unlikely to appease critics, given that all advance poll participants were required to register beforehand, providing officials with prior notice of how many people were expected to vote.