While pointing out that voter registration has improved in recent months, Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage yesterday called the sluggish number of registrants throughout the country "unprecedented".
In Parliament, the minister explained that the government is mindful of going into an election with low voter registration and therefore wants to prolong the registration period to accommodate as many citizens as possible before calling the general election.
As of Tuesday, 80,000 people (approximately 44 percent of the estimated eligible voters) had registered.
In an attempt to bolster the numbers in recent months, the Parliamentary Registration Department has extended its hours well into the evening, increased its staff complement, opened up dozens more centers for registration and conducted registration drives, particularly on New Providence.
Nottage, who has ministerial responsibility for elections, stressed that the government has done as much as it can, pointing to a radio advertisement campaign and billboards erected.
But he said despite this, the numbers remain too low.
He again compelled citizens to register for the election, as opposition members questioned from their seats in the House of Assembly why so many people have yet to register, and suggested it was because of dissatisfaction with the current administration.
"We are in a season where people are not going," Nottage responded.
"I'll leave that to you as to the answer, okay. Maybe they do not want to vote for whomever."
Nottage also noted that the low voter registration numbers has impacted the ability of the Boundaries Commission's report to be tabled.
He said the government wants to ensure no further adjustments need to be made.
"The Boundaries Commission normally would not report until such time as the commission has access to the information that it needs to determine whether there needs to be any changes, and the principle thing they are looking at, I think, is the volume of registrants," he explained.
"The member for Montagu (Richard Lightbourn) rightly says that we don't want [to] have an election on a low count of registered voters."
While Nottage previously addressed reports that personnel at some registration centers were turning away people because of their attire, saying there is no law that bans anyone from registering to vote because of what they wear, the minister said he understands people are still being turned away for this reason.
He warned that staff members engaging in this practice will be fired by the department.
"There are occasions where people are still doing it," Nottage said.
"People are still doing it, even though I told the Parliamentary [Commissioner Sherlyn Hall] that if they do it, send them home.
"Somehow people believe they are doing you a favor to register you and provide you with that service, and that is something that I am sick and tired of."
Hall has previously said there is "voter apathy" throughout the country.
When he made that statement two months ago, voter registration stood at 34 percent (56,823 voters) of the estimated eligible voters.
When compared to the same period five years ago, there were 134,000 registered voters.

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