PLP Victory: Road To Sept 16th

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – In just a few days, the Progressive Liberal Party will celebrate its 2021 election win. The journey to their victory at the polls was a short one, but it had its fair share of political drama. In this report, Our News takes a look back at the road to the September 2021 general election.

After months of speculation that then Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis would call an early election, the former FNM leader did just that. Hours after parliament was dissolved, he made this announcement on August 19th, 2021. 

In that national address, Dr. Minnis revealed the election would be held on September 16th. 

He also insisted voters needed to make a decision on who would lead the country in the post-pandemic era.

With just under a month to campaign, the two major political parties, third parties and even independents hit the ground running. Looking to get the most out of the little time they had to secure votes.

From hundreds of posters promoting dozens of candidates popping up across town – to drive-up rallies aimed at clamping down on large maskless crowds during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign season was like no other before it.

Then there was nomination day. The fanfare of nomination day would give the country a taste of what was to come. Weeks later just over 19,000 people registered for the advanced poll and cast their early votes on September 9th.

Many describing the process as chaotic. The process was so chaotic that PLP chairman Fred Mitchell said the party made a formal complaint to then Attorney General Carl Bethel citing issues like overcrowding and breach of the law on agents in polling places.

Officials would later apologize for the chaos and promise a more organized process for election day, which would be held just 7 days later.

On September 16th, 2021, the people voted sending the Free National Movement packing and ushering the Davis administration.