Dames assures voter registration dept’s security protocols thwart fraud attempts
“It is time for a change? Absolutely, and this government [is] moving toward automation”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Parliamentary Registration Department does not use white-out for any purpose, according to Minister of National Security Marvin Dames, who said the presence of the correcting fluid on any voter’s cards is not the work of the department’s receiving officers.
Addressing the media outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Dames advised that while the department has a process for striking out old information on the card during transfers, the public and authorities should be circumspect of anyone using white-out or anyone presenting a voter’s card with white-out on it.
A purported photo of a voter’s card with white-out obscuring older details on a voter’s card has been circulated on social media in recent weeks.
There have also been concerns that striking out details on the card, as opposed to issuing a new voter’s card, opens the registration process to an increased risk of voter fraud.
But Dames, who has ministerial responsibility for elections, said the system is secure and the purported photo was reviewed.
Asked about the department’s practice concerning transfers, Dames said: “When we do look into these matters, we look into it carefully.
“The Parliamentary Registration Department does not use white-out, and we have to be careful of those persons who are going online and who are intentionally misleading the public for their own personal gain and for political gain, which is unfortunate.
“The Parliamentary Registration Department does not use white-out. I would have seen that (the photo) as well.”
Dames said he took up the matter with the acting commissioner of the department, and authorities are certain it was not done by anyone in the Parliamentary Registration Department.
Asked about the added risk of voter fraud as a result of using the strike-out-and-signing method, Dames indicated there were sufficient checks and balances.
“It is not as easy as that,” he said.
“This is something that we have been doing from time immemorial.
“It is time for a change? Absolutely, and this government has taken a position that we are moving toward automation and taking it to another level, but until we get there, we have to continue to adhere to the law.
“We would have made some amendments in the legislation to ensure that we revolutionize, we improve and modernize the system, but that is a process and we are taking steps toward that process.”
With continued speculation about an early election and the prime minister encouraging eligible voters to get registered as soon as possible, Dames said while no one but the prime minister knows when the bell will be rung, registration sites will continue to remain open to handle the ebb and flow of eligible voters.
