National

First Time Voters Weigh in on Election Hopes

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – New and first-time voters will contribute to a significant amount of voters going to cast ballots next month.
But, for many it’s a mixed bag of feelings toward elections.

Published

6 hours ago

April 4, 2026

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Every time he was asked about a concrete election date, Prime Minister Philip Davis made it clear elections were near. And it worked, almost triggering spikes in voter registration lines each time.

Despite the skeptics predicting voter apathy, the long lines in the past few weeks are a clear indication Bahamians are as eager as ever to participate. Even before the election date was announced there were record numbers registered.

Harrison Thompson, Parliamentary Commissioner

“We’ve had 201K people register to vote. 201K is the largest we’ve had on the register. It’s grown very much since the last election.”

Within this surge are some first-time voters carrying hopes and dreams for a better country.

But some first-time voters like Alfred Poitier, a 20-year-old working UB student, and 22-year-old Jamazia Moss are skeptical about what their votes will mean.

Jamazia Moss, First-Time Voter
“If I could go back to last year, I would tell you the honest truth. I did not want to vote.”

Alfred Poitier II, First-Time Voter
“It was always a stereotype of the different parties with the same persona and there will be no change in results as it relates to the country and the development.”

Jamazia Moss, First-Time Voter
“I felt as though everything was gonna be the same. No government is doing what they should be doing. The country is always in debt, billions of dollars and the average Bahamian can’t even see a million.”

Social media provides a good snapshot of how many first-time voters are feeling.

Take for instance: Deneisha Brice who posts, “Honestly voting really doesn’t make sense. These people go in and do everything expect better the country. I’m tired I opted out and decided the better I’m looking for in this country I have to create that for myself.”

And then there is Yasmin Ford who writes, “It don’t make sense. Nothing is changing and everyone is in it for themselves instead of making this country better.”

Deandra Gilber sums it up with this, “Why are we voting and it’s the same thing over and over and over. It’s only beneficial to who is connect to the right person it’s always who you know in the Bahamas.”

Thankfully, Jamazia and Alfred had a change of heart and are now prepared to walk into the ballot box on election day.

Jamazia Moss, First-Time Voter
“I said, let me do my background check. Let me see why I should be a first-time voter. Why I should take this time as a young person get knowledge on why I should be voting.”

Alfred Poitier II, First-Time Voter
“But doing my research I’ve noticed that a few things can change.”

Of course, there are those well past the age of being a first-time voter and sat out of previous elections for various reasons, school and working abroad and the main ones.

In a somewhat unique scenario, FNM Garden Hills candidate Rick Fox will be voting for the first time.

Rick Fox, FNM Garden Hills Candidate
“First and foremost, the only place I would care to vote would be in The Bahamas. Uhh and as a resident at home now having returned after being home and returned from work this is the first time I get to actually represent the constituency that I live in.”

Rick Fox, FNM Garden Hills Candidate
“I’ve never left The Bahamas. I went off to school. I got a job. I came back and forth over the years and I actually just recently moved home the last 5 years permanently.”

For whatever reason for those Bahamians finding themselves voting for the first time, most seem to still feel that their voices still matter.