Ending weeks of speculation, Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday announced that the next general election will be held on Wednesday, May 10.
Nomination Day is set for April 20.
Christie's announcement came during a live national broadcast on ZNS came minutes after Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, acting in his capacity as provost marshal, read a proclamation from Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling dissolving Parliament.
During his address at the Office of the Prime Minister, Christie said, "Every seat in the House of Assembly is now vacant.
"It is now left to you, the citizenry of our beloved nation, to decide who will fill those seats in the next House of Assembly.
"In doing so, you will also be deciding who will form the government of The Bahamas for the next five years.
"You will make that momentous decision in what I'm confident will be free and fair elections following a spirited, but peaceful campaign.
"Let us contest the forthcoming election with all the vigor at our command.
"Let us do so, however, with respect for the human dignity of our opponents and with respect for the traditions we all hold dear."
Christie noted The Bahamas is one of the oldest democracies in the hemisphere, with a Parliament dating back hundreds of years.
He said the conduct of all involved in the general election must continue to "prove ourselves worthy of the great democratic traditions of free, fair and peaceful elections that have made our country the marvel of nations around the world".
"I have every confidence that we shall," Christie said.
"And so, my fellow Bahamians, it is over to you now.
"Together, you will decide the way forward.
"You shall do so in general elections that will take place in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on Wednesday, the 10th of May, 2017.
"May Almighty God guide you in this great endeavor and may Almighty God bless our great nation."
Outside the House of Assembly around 9:30 a.m., Greenslade read the proclamations from the governor general dissolving Parliament with immediate effect and revealing that the next session of Parliament will begin on May 24.
"Whereas the Parliament of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas stands dissolved from the 11th day of April 2017, and whereas it is provided by Article 65 of the constitution, that each session of the Parliament shall be held at such place and commence at such time as the governor general may by proclamation appoint, now therefore, I Dame Marguerite Pindling, governor general of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, acting in accordance with the advice of the prime minister, do hereby proclaim that the next session of Parliament shall be held in the city of Nassau, in the island of New Providence, on Wednesday the 24th day of May, 2017, and shall commence at 10 o'clock..."
Voter registration for the general election ended on Monday.
The Free National Movement (FNM) has said for months that whenever the prime minister calls the general election it will be ready.
Both the FNM and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) have named a full slate of candidates.
The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has announced candidates for the vast majority of seats to be contested.
More than 155,000 people voted in the last general election, out of more than 172,000 people who registered to vote.
Just over 10,000 votes separated the PLP from the FNM in the May 7, 2012 general election.
The FNM secured 65,518 votes (42 percent) and the PLP secured 75,806 votes (48.6 percent).
The DNA received a combined total of 13,186 votes (8.4 percent).
Independent candidates collectively got 1,294 votes to make up 0.83 percent of the votes.
The PLP won 29 seats, with the FNM capturing 10.
It lost the North Abaco seat to the PLP in the October by-election in 2012.
In the 2007 general election, just under 4,000 votes separated the FNM from the PLP, which ended with the FNM winning 23 of the 41 seats.
The PLP won 18 seats.

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