Voter register numbers growing, but still far behind last cycle

Tue, Jan 17th 2017, 01:13 AM

Extended hours, increased outreach and repeated reminding from political figures of the need for people to register to vote seems to have helped voter registration somewhat in the past two months; however, the number of registered voters is still nowhere near what it was at this point before the last general election.
In early November, there were around 57,000 registered voters.
Yesterday, Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall said just over 80,000 people are registered to vote.
At this point before the last general election, there were at least 134,000 registered voters.
The 80,000 now registered represents 44 percent of the approximately 182,000 people the Parliamentary Registration Department estimates are eligible to register.
About 172,000 people registered to vote in the 2012 general election.
Hall said yesterday that the numbers are "growing steadily" and the Parliamentary Registration Department continues to "encourage Bahamians to present themselves to register".
He added that the department has recently launched evening registration at public schools in order to boost figures.
"We have registration [sites] in schools after five to nine [p.m.], so they are opened from Monday to Friday," he said.
Eligible voters are able to register at C.R. Walker Senior High, C.V. Bethel Senior High, Gerald Cash Primary School, Centreville Primary School, Thelma Gibson Primary School, E.P. Roberts Primary School, C.C. Sweeting Senior High, Sandilands Primary School, S.C. McPherson Junior High, Sybil Strachan Primary School, H.O. Nash Junior High School, C.I. Gibson Senior High, Palmdale Primary School, Government High School, Sadie Curtis Primary School, Cleveland Eneas Primary School, Uriah McPhee Primary School, and Garvin Tynes Primary School.
When asked whether a recent controversy on voter attire has had any affect on voter registration, Hall refused to comment.
There have been claims in recent weeks of women being turned away from voter registration sites because of a lack of "appropriate" attire.
Hall reportedly said the department's staff has the right to refuse to register people who have not followed the public service dress code, explaining that "because you have to take photographs, if someone comes with half their breasts out and cleavage showing, this isn't permitted".
During an interview with The Nassau Guardian at the New Year's Day Junkanoo Parade, National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage, who has ministerial responsibility for elections, pointed out there is no law that bans anyone from registering to vote because of what they are wearing.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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