Amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act could lead to the elimination of the requirement for Bahamians whose addresses do not change to register before every general election.
“We are unique in that we require people to register every general election no matter whether you’ve moved or didn’t move,” said Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham as he led debate on the bill in the House of Assembly yesterday.
The requirement has been viewed as an unnecessary one for years. The government is hoping that this will be the last time that people who maintain their addresses will have to re-register.
“You live the same place as I have for 38 or 39 years and must register for every election and I didn’t go anywhere… We are hoping that the registration process, which is taking place now, will produce a sufficiently clean register for the next Parliament of The Bahamas to consider it the register for the future.”
Ingraham said only people who move around would be required to register again or have their address transfered. That is one of the many amendments contained in the bill.
Ingraham said the government is also considering an amendment to limit the circumstances for a recount.
He said consideration is being given to only requiring a recount of ballots by a returning officer if when added to votes cast, rejected, spoilt, protest and challenged votes could alter the outcome of an election.
Full Article: PM outlines sweeping election act changes « Bahama News.
