The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PARLIAMENTARY Commissioner Harrison Thompson yesterday said more than 196,000 people are currently registered to vote, adding that he does not anticipate a significant increase in that number as many voters have already registered ahead of the general election.

Mr Thompson said cleaning up the voter register ahead of the next general election was a major concern raised by senior political officials during a recent meeting.

Officials from the Parliamentary Registration Department met last Friday with senior representatives of the Free National Movement, Progressive Liberal Party and Coalition of Independents.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mr Thompson said concerns were raised about deceased persons remaining on the voter register and that efforts are ongoing to ensure those identified as deceased are removed.

“Actually, this morning, we had to remove some people off the register. There were duplicate registrations,” he said, explaining that some individuals who relocate to another area mistakenly register more than once.

The accuracy of the voter register became a contentious political issue during the Golden Isles by-election in November 2025. At the time, the Nassau Guardian reported that former prime minister Hubert Ingraham said the voter register needed to be cleaned up.

Mr Ingraham said both the Free National Movement (FNM) and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) were unable to locate several thousand voters while canvassing during the by-election campaign.

FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands also warned that the national voter register was outdated, arguing that it undermined the integrity of the Golden Isles by-election. He described the list used as “almost 15 years old” and said as many as 3,000 voters were “unlocatable”.

The PLP’s Darron Pickstock won the by-election, defeating the FNM’s Brian Brown. Mr Pickstock received 1,873 votes, while Mr Brown secured 1,637.

Mr Thompson has consistently maintained that the voter database is current, noting that his department carries out ongoing work to maintain its accuracy.

When asked whether the continued removal of deceased persons suggests the register is not properly maintained, Mr Thompson disagreed.

“People die every day,” he said, adding that the register will continue to be updated regularly up until election day.

Mr Thompson also said he does not feel pressured by past criticism directed at his department, reassuring the public that his team remains committed to ensuring the electoral process is fair and credible when voters go to the polls.