His comments came after weeks of concern that people in quarantine or those who have COVID-19 would not be allowed to vote based on statements made by members of the government.

Last week, National Security Minister Marvin Dames suggested quarantined people will not be allowed to take part in the election.

However, when asked about the government’s stance on the matter yesterday, Mr Wells said every voter will be allowed to exercise their right, including those in quarantine.

Though, he did not clarify how such people will be able to vote on September 16.

“To prevent folks (from voting), there’s some constitutional issues I believe, legal issues around all of that and at the end of the day, folks are going to find a way to exercise their democratic right,” Mr Wells reporters at C V Bethel Senior High School where scores of people gathered to cast an early vote in the advanced poll.

“The government of The Bahamas and let me say this, in the United States, during the US election, the CDC had put out some guidelines and they said whether you’re COVID positive or whether you’re in quarantine, you can go out to vote in the American elections but the point is that you treat everyone who comes to the poll as if they’re COVID positive, so all Americans were allowed to vote and I think we’re taking that same model but we are putting even more stringent guidelines inside the polls.”

This comes after the Progressive Liberal Party wrote to acting Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson to confirm whether registered voters will be prevented from voting in the next election if they are quarantined or suffering from COVID-19.

Former State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez wrote the letter to Mr Duncanson on Monday behalf of PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis and party members.

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