Young Voters Leading the Way

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – Nearly 200,000 Bahamians are now registered to vote ahead of the next general election, with young people making up the largest share of new voters, according to the Parliamentary Registration Department.

Officials say the surge in voting registration is being driven largely by young voters, signaling growing interest as the country moves closer to Election Day.

Our Denielle Miller has the report.

Denielle Miller

“Officials at the Parliamentary Registration Department say there is an increase in voter registration with most of those numbers coming from persons ages eighteen to thirty five. “

The Parliamentary Registration Department reported on Friday that 199,704 voters are now on the register for the upcoming general election.

That number represents an increase of more than 5,000 voters compared to the 194,525 registered in 2021.

Data from the Parliamentary Registration Department also showed that the largest group of newly registered voters is between 18 and 35 years old, a cross-section of Gen Z and millennial voters.

In an interview on Friday, Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson said he noticed the uptick just before Christmas.

Thompson also revealed a growing demand for registration stations at overseas missions, along with an increase in requests for mobile registration services.

Harrison Thompson – Parliamentary Commissioner

“Just about every company now wants us to come to have a mobile registration we’re booked out up until the end of April”

Thompson also noted that despite low voter turnout in the last general election, there are signs that young people are showing stronger interest this time around.

Harrison Thompson – Parliamentary Commissioner

“Bahamians like to vote and I think the excitement is starting to build and I believe that the political parties and the independent candidates are trying to encourage their supporters to go and support them”

Some voters like millennial, Ashley Knowles, said that the regional and international election season is also helping build momentum locally.

Ashley Knowles – Voter

“Of course people are getting into the season right now in general and you know the Caribbean has been through the season Jamaica had a recent election Barbados, the United States so I think the buzz of election fever is in the air because it’s happening all around us”