PRELIMINARY STATEMENT CARICOM Election Observation Mission to the General Elections of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

In response to an invitation from the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia A. Pratt, O.N., GCMG, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) mounted a nine-member CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to the General Elections held on 12 May 2026.

Members of the Mission comprised electoral experts from the following nine CARICOM Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. The CEOM was also accompanied by three members of the CARICOM Secretariat who provided administrative and logistical support. The Mission commenced on 5 May 2026 and will conclude on 15 May 2026.

PRE-ELECTION ACTIVITIES

As part of its pre-election observation methodology, the CARICOM Election Observation Mission consulted with a wide cross-section of the Bahamian society. In this context, the team held engagements with the following stakeholders:

The Honourable Philip Davis, Prime Minister and Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP);
Mr. Michael Pintard, Leader of the Opposition and of the Free National Movement (FNM);
Mr. Lincoln Bain, Leader of the Coalition of Independents (COI);
The Most Honourable Dr. Hubert Minnis, Independent Candidate;
Ms. Shanta Emily Knowles, Commissioner of Police; and
Mr. Harrison Thompson, Parliamentary Commissioner.

The CEOM also met with representatives of the media fraternity, along with the following organisations:

Bahamas Youth Ambassador Corps/Bahamas Youth Parliament/National Youth Advisory Council;
Bahamas Constitution Party (BHP);
Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation;
United Association of Haitians Living in The Bahamas (UHAB);
Civil Society Bahamas (CSB);
Equality Bahamas; and
Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG).

During the aforementioned engagements, stakeholders raised concerns about the following:

Integrity of the Registration (Voters’) List;
Preparedness of the Parliamentary Registration Department;
Logistical deficiencies in the conduct of the advanced polling process;
Independence of the Parliamentary Registration Department and the Boundaries Commission;
The issuance of fraudulent voter identification cards and passports;
Inadequate civic and voter education;
Inadequate communication by the Parliamentary Registration Department;
Campaign financing; and
Youth Engagement with the electoral process.

ELECTION DAY OBSERVATIONS

On election day, members of the CEOM were deployed to observe the polling process on the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama, where they observed the opening of the polls, the voting process throughout the day, the closing of polls, and the counting and results tabulation process. Members of the team visited twenty-two (22) constituencies on New Providence and all five (5) constituencies on Grand Bahama, observing the various Election Day procedures at 317 polling divisions on both islands. The team’s observations are outlined below.

Opening of the Polls

The observer teams arrived at the polling divisions prior to the opening of the poll. It was observed that:

there was adequate police presence at the polling locations.

polling staff were present and the necessary election supplies were delivered on time to ensure that polls opened promptly at 8:00 a.m., for the most part. A few polling divisions, however, experienced slight delays in opening.

agents of all political parties were present at polling divisions;

the polling day staff carried out the opening of the poll procedures as required.

Voting Process

At most polling locations visited, it was observed that a list of electors was available to facilitate verification by voters. Information clerks were also available to assist voters, including by directing them to the assigned polling divisions. In general, the election day workers appeared to be adequately trained and courteous, and aided incapacitated and elderly voters. While there were some slight inconsistencies in applying voting procedures and guidelines, these were limited in scope and did not cause any disruption to the voting process.

It was noted that the voter turnout in many polling divisions was steady in the morning and towards the close of polling, while voter numbers experienced a significant reduction during midday. Notwithstanding, the polling staff remained focused as they steadily carried out the required procedures, ensuring that eligible voters were able to cast their votes.

Overall, the observers were satisfied that voters were able to cast their votes in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Close of Poll and Counting of Ballots

The teams observed the closing of the poll at the same polling divisions where they had earlier witnessed the opening of the poll. Teams arrived at these polling divisions in advance of the scheduled close. Notably, at 6:00 p.m., the majority of Presiding Officers declared the polling divisions closed. It was observed, however, that in a few instances, where the polling divisions had experienced delays in opening, additional time was allowed for voting. Incidentally, at the close of the poll, there were no voters in line at most polling divisions, and where there were voters present, they were allowed to exercise their franchise.

The CEOM team also witnessed the additional close of poll procedures, including the counting of the ballots, the sealing of ballot boxes, the securing of ballots and other electoral material, and the submission of electoral material for transfer to Holding Stations. The team was satisfied that the ballot boxes were opened in the presence of the polling agents, election day workers, officers and observers, and that the ballots were counted and voting results provided to party agents and made public, in accordance with the established procedures.

Conclusion

The CEOM is of the view that on election day, electors were able to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner, and without significant incident. The polling day workers performed their duties professionally and must be commended. The police maintained law and order at the polling divisions and were extremely professional in their interaction with electors and the various stakeholders. The CEOM considers the results of the 2026 elections to be in keeping with the will of the people of The Bahamas.

We commend the Parliamentary Registration Department for its administration of the electoral process. We also commend the party agents within polling divisions, as well as the people of The Bahamas, for the peaceful and orderly way in which they conducted themselves on election day.

We further extend our appreciation to the Secretary-General of CARICOM for the invitation to participate in this Mission and the opportunity to continue to support CARICOM’s role in strengthening democratic traditions across the Region.

This interim statement is meant to provide an initial assessment of the CEOM’s observations. In the coming weeks, a final report will be submitted to the Secretary-General of CARICOM outlining the team’s findings and recommendations.

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