Few constituencies carry the political weight of Centreville which is long regarded as a stronghold for the Progressive Liberal Party. The seat was held for decades by former Prime Minister Perry Christie, who represented the area from 1977 to 2012.
That reinforced Centreville’s identity as a PLP stronghold until 2017.
In a dramatic upset, Reece Chipman of the Free National Movement edged out Christie by just four votes—1,909 to 1,905, marking one of the narrowest and most historic defeats in modern Bahamian politics. The result shattered assumptions about “safe seats” and signalled that even the most entrenched constituencies could shift.
By 2021, the PLP reclaimed Centreville, with Jomo Campbell securing 2,170 votes, comfortably ahead of the FNM’s 609.
As the next election approaches, Campbell returns as the incumbent, facing FNM Darvin Russell and Jamaal Woodside of the Coalition of Independents.
Russell’s path to victory would likely depend on recreating the conditions that enabled Chipman’s 2017 upset: voter dissatisfaction, low margins, and a motivated base.
While Campbell has an incumbent advantage and a strong 2021 showing, history suggests that Centreville voters are willing to break tradition under the right circumstances.
Though Woods may not win as a third-party candidate, he can influence the results by splitting votes, particularly among dissatisfied voters seeking alternatives to the two major parties.