National

Returning Officer: “I Think I’m A Honorable Man. I Think The System Protects Itself”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Returning Officer Neil Campbell says more staff were added to manage today’s Golden Isles by-election after last week’s ballot box chaos. He says he still doesn’t understand how the advanced poll dispute escalated and declined to respond to calls for his removal. The ballot count is now underway.

Published

4 months ago

November 24, 2025

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The polls have officially closed in the Golden Isles constituency, and election officials are now counting ballots. But Monday night’s calm stands in stark contrast to the chaos that unfolded just one week ago during the advanced poll, a controversy the returning officer is now addressing.

Nearly two-thirds of today’s voters cast their ballots at Anatol Rodgers High School, with the remainder voting at Adelaide Primary School. Returning Officer Neil Campbell says the team significantly increased manpower to handle the nearly 8,000 registered voters.

“We even put additional personnel in place… to ensure we did the job today,” Campbell said.

Last week, tensions flared after the advanced polls closed, when members of both the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Coalition of Independents (COI) attempted to block the transfer of ballot boxes. The parties claimed their observers were not being allowed to accompany the boxes as previously agreed, sparking heated confrontations outside Remnant Tabernacle.

Campbell says he heard many of the criticisms but maintains he still doesn’t fully understand how the situation escalated.

“I heard some things… but up to now, I still don’t understand what took place,” he said.

As for calls from some political factions for his removal as returning officer, Campbell brushed aside the criticism.

“I don’t want to respond to everything I see in the newspaper,” he said, adding that his focus remained on ensuring today’s poll ran smoothly.

With the count now underway, election officials will determine whether tonight brings closure to the controversy, or fuels more debate in Golden Isles.