The new Voters Rights Association is worried that Bermuda’s register of voters is inaccurate.
How do they know? Simple, they bought a copy of the list and sent a letter to the voters of St Georges. Of the 316 letters sent, 40 were returned by the post office marked deceased, moved, or wrong address.
In other words, 13% of the voter registrations are potentially inaccurate. That’s incredible given that only a half dozen votes decided the St George’s winner in the last election, while the PLP garnered only 51% of the national vote.
The Parliamentary Registrar’s response is less than reassuring: “Claims by the VRA that the current register are inaccurate are grossly incorrect. We are constantly updating the register to ensure that it accurately reflects the current number of eligible voters on the Island.”
Bermuda officialdom has a loathesome habit of shooting the messenger and avoiding the topic. Instead of lashing out at the VRA, why doesn’t the Registrar enlist their help in identifying inaccurate voter records? It’s his job!
I am surprised by how passive the local media has been in covering stories like this; this is such an easy opportunity for investigative journalism.