earlyelection

As 2025 comes to a close, the Bahamas is heading into a defining year.

A general election is constitutionally due by September 2026, but political observers believe it could be called earlier, setting the tone for the country’s direction well before 2026 ends.

If it’s early or on schedule, the next election is expected to be one of the most consequential in recent memory for how the country moves forward.

What’s happening

Under the Constitution, Parliament must be dissolved and elections held by September 2026.

However, early election speculation is growing. Political activity has intensified, parties are strengthening ground operations, and messaging has begun to sharpen. These are all signs that an election may be called sooner than later.

At stake is the control of government for the next five years, during a period marked by economic pressure, public concern about cost of living, crime, governance, and trust in government institutions.

What it means

This election voters are weighing:

• whether economic recovery is being felt at the household level
• how crime and public safety are being addressed
• leadership credibility and accountability
• confidence in institutions and public services

For many Bahamians, especially working-age voters, the next government’s decisions will affect jobs, housing, healthcare, education, and national stability well beyond 2026.

Who wins could also shape how power is executed, whether governance becomes more inclusive and more transparent.

Why 2026 is different

This election carries added weight because of voter fatigue and heightened expectations from voters.

Many Bahamians are less interested in party loyalty and more focused on results, competence and policies that affect their daily life

That influences how voters respond to traditional political messaging.

What’s next

In the months ahead of the election, Bahamians can expect:

• increased political messaging and strategy
• policy announcements framed around cost of living and safety
• intensified scrutiny of government performance
• continued candidate selection and constituency strategy

If elections are called early, that timeline could accelerate rapidly.

The bigger picture

The 2026 general election is a national decision, one that could define the country’s priorities, leadership style, and public trust for the next five years.

As the country steps into the new year, the choices ahead will matter long after the campaign signs come down.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is hoping that her internationally acclaimed profile will translate to a win at the polls on Wednesday.

Mottley called an early election last month and has been campaigning on the slogan, “It’s safer with Mia – stay the course.”

Mottley was praised for her COP26 speech, divorcing Queen Elizabeth to become a Republic, and for making singer Rihanna a national hero.

However, some have opposed her leadership. She received backlash during the pandemic and some called her a dictator.

The Democratic Labour Party led by Verla De Peiza accused her of depriving more than 5,500 Bajans of voting while they are in quarantine, as the country battles the Omicron variant.

Lucille Moe, a former minister who was sacked by Mottley, has sided with the opposition. “She is autocratic and does not allow anyone to have an opposing view or opinion. Everyone must be in the Mia Mottley choir,” Moe said.

The Barbados Labour Party (BLP), which she leads, won all 30 seats in the 2018 election and is now attempting to repeat history on Wednesday.

Voting begins at 6 a.m. on Wednesday and the polls will close at 6 p.m.

Philip Edward Davis became the 5th Bahamian prime minister on Saturday following a general election where the Progressive Liberal Party won the majority of seats in the House of Assembly.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Bahamar Resort, under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic where the 70-year-old was granted his instruments of appointment, in front of a crowd.

He enters government exactly two days after the country’s early election.

Davis was sworn in by Governor General C.A Smith during which he promised to be transparent with all government agendas.

“We’re going to listen. We’re going to consult. We’re going to bring people together. This is the best way to make progress as a nation. No leader and no government should be isolated from the people.

“I also commit to lifting the veil of secrecy from that which has gone before us so that all of the arrangements under which we have to live are transparent and those who offered them are accountable.”

Davis continued, “We will govern in the interest of all Bahamians, not just the privileged few. We will act in ways that will build trust between the government and the Bahamian people.

“We will uphold the constitution and the rule of law and ensure everyone is treated fairly so that there is not one rule for one set of people, and another rule for another set of people.

“There is much work to be done,  but I know that if we work together, we can succeed and build a kind of prosperous, independent Bahamas that our founding fathers dreamt for us,” he said.

Davis took the oath of office on Friday and immediately made changes to the Emergency order, extending curfew to the hours of 11:59 pm to 5 am.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper will be sworn in at 2 pm.

Following the defeat of the Free National Movement at the polls, winners have emerged but none include the infamous parliamentarians who have openly defied the former government and its policies.

Former FNM members who became independent parliamentarians Reece Chipman and Halson Moultrie, and outspoken FNM MP Frederick McAlpine who was for years at odds with the party, all lost their seats in unofficial results.

Reece Chipman

Chipman has constantly criticized the government and has never supported its agenda. However, he still suffered politically.

Chipman was a newcomer to politics in 2017, running on the FNM ticket during the general elections, subsequently ousting former Prime Minister Perry Christie and winning a PLP stronghold.

Chipman voted against the VAT increase and the resolution to lease the Town Centre Mall from former Cabinet minister Brent Symonette.  He eventually resigned from the party in 2019 citing the government’s handling of Hurricane Dorian and partisan politics.

PLP Jomo Campbell replaces Chipman in Centerville.

Halson Moultrie

Moultrie received little votes in Nassau Village as constituents went with PLP Jamahl Strachan, instead.

Moultrie was an antagonistic voice in Parliament where he served as Speaker.  He resigned from the FNM in February of this year, but refused to resign as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Moultrie was a thorn in the side of the FNM government calling for autonomy of the House and upping his ante during the pandemic when he contrived an idea to hold an ‘open parliament’ after Parliament went on recess.

The Nassau Village MP gained the support of third parties like the Democratic National Alliance and the Coalition of Independents who joined him in his protest against the Minnis-led government and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. But he did little to gain the support of his constituents.

Frederick McAlpine

McAlpine may have thought he was going to win Pineridge, but constituents replaced him with PLP Ginger Moxey.

He has been the most outspoken member of the FNM government, often hitting out at Minnis during his presentations in the House.

He ran as an independent candidate for the Pineridge constituency in this election after he did not receive the FNM nomination. Many still expected him to win his seat in Pineridge because of the loud support he garnered in spite of his opposition against his party members.

He has had a long and rather cold relationship with the FNM and said that members in his party wanted him gone while complaining that the party leader ignored him.

In a surprising move, Pineridge went with Moxey, despite McAlpine’s touts of his accomplishments in the area.

Philip Davis will capture the Parliament and reign as prime minister after victory at the polls over FNM Leader Hubert Minnis.

Davis won by a big margin capturing a majority of the seats in an early election.

A delighted Davis took to social media to express delight. “Thank you Bahamas. Your support means so much to me. It is a new day. God bless the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

Minnis has conceded to Davis and offered best wishes to him. He thanked the Bahamians who supported him while congratulating the FNM candidates who won their seats.

Minnis won his seat for Killarney and will lead the Opposition in the House of Assembly.

As of 9:30 pm, Kwasi Thompson, Shanendon Cartwright, Andrian Gibson, Michael Pintard, Iram Lewis and Adrian White of the FNM survived and will be a part of the opposition.

Davis will have to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination rollout, boost the economy and revive the healthcare system.

Davis was a part of the Christie administration that was voted out in 2017, which was heavily hit with scandals.

Minnis’ reign as prime minister was criticized for its handling of the Oban deal, Dorian and its aftermath, and the Emergency Orders which caused the closure of businesses.

Amidst the pandemic, Davis staged virtual rallies preaching that his government will usher in transparency, equality and prosperity.

A cadre of politicians running in the General Election disclosed financial statements in the millions.

According to the financial disclosure submitted to the Parliamentary Registration Department, East Grand Bahama candidate Kevin King of the Kingdom Government Movement, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, Progressive Liberal Party’s Deputy Leader Chester Cooper and Independent candidate for Centerville Arrie Percentie, rank highest on the list of millionaires running for office.

It’s worth noting, the financial claims were not verified.

Here are the top 10 wealthiest politicians in the country

1. Kevin King

Networth $53,129,820

King is the East Grand Bahama hopeful of the Kingdom Government Movement. The herbalist and newcomer to politics said although his total income is $38,500, his assets include $35m in securities and $8m in real estate.

2. Dionisio D’Aguilar

Networth $37,951,803

Tourism Minister D’Aguilar is a business eexcutive and owner of Superwash brand. He has annual income of $1,467,988 and liabilities of $345,013. Among his assets, D’Aguilar has more than $32m in investments and nearly $3m in real estate.

3. Chester Cooper

Networth $14.8m 

The incumbent Exuma and Ragged Island candidate is the Progressive Liberal Party’s deputy leader. Cooper has an income of $370,000. He is a businessman and the bulk of wealth is $11m in investments and $3m in real estate.

4. Dr Hubert Minnis

Networth $14,048,902

Prime Minister Minnis is the MP for the Killarney constituency and is reported to be the wealthiest leader of a major political party. He is seeking his fourth term as parliamentarian. Minnis is a physician and businessman. In 2017, he was worth $12.6m and in 2012, he was worth $10.9m.

5. Arrie Percentie

Networth $14m

Percentie is running as an independent candidate for the Centerville constituency. He is a contractor.

6. Rollington Cooper Jr

Networth $13.4m

Cooper is running in Central Grand Bahama for the Kingdom Government Movement. Cooper is a businessman. The bulk of his assets which is $13.9m, is in real estate. His total income is $500 with $588,000 in liabilities.

7. Dr Duane Sands

Networth $6,958,000

Sands is the former Minister of Health. He is a physician turned politician and the incumbent for the Elizabeth constituency.

8. Stephen Greenslade

Networth $5,743,959

Greenslade is running for Garden Hills. He is a former policeman and is presently the owner of a security firm ICS of the Bahamas Company Ltd.

9. Basil McIntosh 

Networth $4,989,037

McIntosh is the MICAL candidate for the Progressive Liberal Party.

10. Dr Michael Darville

Networth $4,665,000

The Tall Pines candidate is not a newcomer to politics. He was the former PLP Minister of State for Grand Bahama. Darville is was a medical doctor in the Ministry of Health and has since established his private practice in family medicine.

Leader of the Opposition Philip Davis comes in at eleventh.

Networth $4,100,237

Davis is the incumbent for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador. He is a Queen’s Counsel and prominent lawyer. Declarations filed in 2017, showed his net worth at $4.3m.

Three days after Prime Minister Hubert Minister announced an early election, he allayed fears, assuring voters of the polls’ safety as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a national address on Sunday, Minnis call on all eligible Bahamians to vote.

Minnis said advance voting privileges will be afforded to people 65 years and older, which will reduce the number of people at the polls on the same date.

The big picture

An early election will be on September 16, eight months before schedule.

It will particularly be an interesting election since the Bahamas is in the middle of a pandemic and Bahamians have never had to vote amid a pandemic.

Politicians will face the challenge of holding campaigns and rallies to reach voters. Minnis reiterated the Emergency Order which stipulates that all campaigners must be in groups of five and fully vaccinated.

Less than one month before the General Election, placards have appeared overnight in the country as political parties fight to generate support before Bahamians go to the polls.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced an early election, which came as a surprise to some, though speculations were rife that he would have called an early election

Immediately, political parties switched gears to launch their campaign.

The Free National Movement’s slogan, ‘It’s About Your Future’ is plastered on lamp poles and on street corners.

The Progressive Liberal Party’s slogan, “A New Day” is seen along highways and roundabouts.

As I drove around the country today, workers from their perspective parties planted new signs in various areas, hoping to capture voters’ attention.

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Prime Minister Hubert Minnis is calling an early election for September 16.

In a leaked letter to the Governor-General, Minnis is officially seeking a snap election and asking for a new parliament by October 6th.

“Pursuant to Articles 65 and 67 of the Constitution, I have the honor to advise your excellency to issue Writs of Election on the 19th day of August 2021, to cause a general election of members of the House of Assembly to be made on the 16th day of September 2021 according to law, and to order a new Parliament to meet on Wednesday the 6th day of October 2021.”

The big picture

Speculations of an early election have been rife since earlier in the year.

The governing party and the opposition have been ratifying candidates and heavily campaigning.

The official opposition party and other third parties have been agitating for an early election, prompting citizens and residents to register to vote.

Yesterday, PLP Leader Philip Davis called on Minnis to “ring the bell.” He said the election is “the first step to better days.”

Why it matters

This means Bahamians will go to the polls eight months ahead of schedule.

Minnis’ decision to call an early election is a gamble as the country is gripped with high cases of hospitalization and deaths due to COVID-19.

Yesterday, in a surprising turn of events, Parliament was prorogued and was expected to resume September 22.

Now that election will be called early, Parliament will instead have to be dissolved. This is when the life of parliament ends, every seat in the House becomes vacant and parliamentarians must render themselves as candidates.