By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
MORE than 174,000 Bahamians have registered for next month’s general election, nearly 2,000 more persons than in 2012, according to the latest numbers from the Parliamentary Registration Department.
Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall placed the sudden up-tick in registration on “Bahamians’ last minute tendencies.”
There were 172,128 people registered to vote in the 2012 general election, this year’s register now stands at 174,070.
The latest numbers show that as of April 14, Golden Isles has the highest number of registered voters with 6,420 people registered in that area.
In 2012, there were 5,036 people registered in that constituency.
In New Providence, the newly created constituency of St Barnabas has the lowest number of registered voters with 3,819.
However, in an interview with The Tribune, Mr Hall said the numbers “may a change a bit” as his department continues to clean up the register. Mr Hall said a number of “dead” people’s names have already been deleted since the register closed, along with several other persons whose names appeared more than once.
Voter registration for the impending election officially closed last Monday. Mr Hall and his department has 14 to 15 days from that date to clean up the hundreds of reported errors presently on the register.
“We are doing quite well and getting all the dead people off and getting all the discrepancies dealt with,” Mr Hall said yesterday.
“We have surpassed the number of voters that registered in 2012, we are now over that figure. We were down by thousands the week before the register closed - Bahamians came out last minute. That’s the Bahamian way, our tendency and now the numbers have risen. We still have more work to do, but we are getting there.”
Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said earlier this month he is “doubtful” that the Christie administration could produce a “clean” register before the electorate heads to the polls.
FNM Chairman Sidney Collie also raised “grave concerns” regarding the election register, pointing to the discovery of 72 pages of duplicate registrations, names printed of persons born over 200 years ago and some who were born in 2017.
Mr Collie described this as “negligence” and “ineptitude,” saying there are other “irregularities” that have come to light pointing to persons who were reportedly issued citizenship and voter’s cards on the same day.
In response, however, Mr Hall said “the register is only as clean as the cooperation we receive from the voters.”
On Monday, Mr Hall said he is confident the register will be clean in time for the May 10 election.
Comments
Maynergy 7 years ago
Honoring Bahamian People. The Bahamian political movement, begun in 1953, was and is a powerful rallying cry that arouses feelings of self-love, island pride, self-determination and personal affinity. Maynergy celebrate with all the young and old people who organized and developed countless political, social, cultural, and economic organizations and programs, galvanizing thousands of people in the history of the islands of the Bahamas. We encourage all our people to VOTE for a future that has a bright path with newer ideas, creativity and cultural identity as Bahamian.
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
How many will be eliminated from the 175K??????? ......... How many voters were on each of the FNMs 72 pages????? ............ say 20???????......... 50???????? ........ We need some more information
John 7 years ago
Many believe the last election was lost in the final few days of campaigning. This is when Hubert Ingraham started his personal attacks on persons including Dame Margurite Pindling. Many, even FNM's, found Ingraham's attacks offensive especially since Mrs. Pindling was not a candidate in the election. They saw Ingraham as being arrogant and totally disrespectful. People in New Providence were already ticked off about the lingering and disruptive roadworks along with the faltering economy so Ingraham pushed the swing vote to the PLP.
MassExodus 7 years ago
Don't think the swing vote will go to the PLP this time around as the PLP have been swinging the Bahamian citizens over the last 5 years. Anyone with half a brain would refuse to the PLP this time around no matter what happens preceding May 10th.
Honestman 7 years ago
The difference this time is that the PLP will not gain any votes. It can only lose votes reflecting voter disgust at its performance these last five years. Also, I predict that many who voted DNA last time round will vote FNM as they realise this is the only way to rid the country of this crooked PLP administration. This will all happen despite the major shortcomings of Hubert Minnis. It is first things first however and the only priority next month is for voters to vote out this evil party. Minnis can be replaced further down the road if he continues to under perform.
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