The race will be a rematch between incumbent Zane Lightbourne of the Progressive Liberal Party and Elsworth Johnson, the candidate for the Free National Movement. But this time, a new Coalition of Independents is hoping to reshape the race.
Yvette Prince, running under the COI banner, is attempting to challenge the two major parties in the constituency.
Prince’s candidacy comes at a time when some voters across the country have expressed frustration with the traditional two-party system. Her campaign is built on the idea that a third-party candidate could resonate with voters seeking change.
However, recent election history suggests that third parties breaking through in Yamacraw may prove difficult.
In the 2021 general election, Lightbourne, then new to frontline politics, secured the seat with 1,872 votes, defeating Johnson, who received 1,490 votes. Third-party and independent candidates struggled to gain traction in that race.
Prince’s party, COI, received 214 votes, while United Coalition Movement candidate Charlene Paul garnered 88 votes. Other independent candidates collectively received 13 votes.
These results show a recurring challenge for third-parties in Bahamian elections. While they often attract attention, turning that interest into votes has proven to be difficult.
Still, Yamacraw itself has a history of shifting political parties.
From 1982 to 1997, the constituency was represented by Janet Bostwick of the Free National Movement. The seat was later moved to the Progressive Liberal Party, with Melanie Griffin serving as Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2012.
Johnson reclaimed the seat for the FNM in 2017, winning decisively with 2,581 votes, before losing it to Lightbourne in the 2021 election.
At the time of the last election, Yamacraw had approximately 3,637 registered voters, meaning that relatively small shifts in voter turnout or support can have a significant impact on the results.
The upcoming race is somewhat familiar between the PLP and the FNM. But Prince’s presence in the race introduces a new dynamic.
While it remains unclear how strong her ground campaign is in the constituency, third-party candidates can sometimes influence elections by drawing votes from major party candidates or reshaping the conversation.
It remains to be seen whether Prince can turn frustration into votes at the polls.
