MP Robinson & Government On Electoral Reform
OBA MP Dwayne Robinson urged the PLP Government to publicly disclose a concrete plan, working group structure, and timeline for electoral reform ahead of its September 2026 target, while the Government said that consultation is meant to shape policy and the Electoral Reform Policy Framework will be published once this phase is complete.
OBA MP Dwayne Robinson Statement
Mr. Robinson said, “The Minister of Cabinet and Digital Innovation recently concluded his consultative town halls for electoral reform. I am all for consultation, but the public has received very little concrete information on the Government’s actual plan for electoral reform.
“The Government refused to support our bill because of issues it didn’t wish to go into depth on, and a plan it would not share. My hope was that during this process a concrete plan would be shared with the public. As according to the Minister, the plan had been in motion prior to the tabling of the One Bermuda Alliance’s Absentee Voting Act 2025. Instead, it operated more like a brainstorming session with very vague answers. The Minister didn’t even bother to show up for the final town hall, giving the whole exercise a rubber stamp feel.
“The Progressive Labour Party Government needs to reveal to the public its concrete plan for electoral reform, the official structure of the working group, and a concise timeline document for reaching its goal of completion in September 2026. Education reform has shown us that the wait and see approach with the PLP can yield devastating results for Bermuda.
“The way this has been handled does not inspire confidence that the September 2026 deadline will be reached.”
Government Statement
A Government spokesperson said, “The Government welcomes public interest in electoral reform. This is an issue that belongs to the whole country and deserves thoughtful discussion, not rushed conclusions.
“From the outset, the Government has been clear about its approach. Electoral reform must be grounded in research, consultation, and careful policy development before legislation is drafted. That position was stated during the Budget Debate in May and has guided the work ever since. Consultation is not a delay tactic, nor is it a “rubber stamp”, it is how durable and effective reform is achieved.
“The town halls were deliberately designed as part of a structured consultation phase. They were intended to listen, test ideas, and surface practical considerations across the full electoral system, not to present a finished policy before the public had been heard. This process has included public meetings, engagement with overseas students, ongoing work with the Parliamentary Registrar, and discussions with civil society and political stakeholders.
“It is important to recognise that consultation is meant to shape policy. The Electoral Reform Policy Framework will be published once this phase is complete, and it will include clear timelines and next steps before any legislation is brought forward.
“Regarding the final town hall, Minister Rabain was unavoidably delayed by an unusually long-running Cabinet meeting. However, it must be recognised that he attended all 7 of the previous sessions and remains fully engaged in this work. The final session followed the same presentation, format, and opportunity for feedback, all of which have been captured and will inform the policy framework.
“The Government remains on track to complete this reform programme by September 2026. That timeline reflects both the scale and importance of the work and the need to get it right.
“Finally, the Government’s position on bipartisan collaboration has not changed. As outlined in correspondence to the Leader of the Opposition on 8 December 2025, this process was always intended to include space for the Opposition’s views before legislation is drafted. That offer remains open, because strengthening Bermuda’s democracy requires cooperation.
“Electoral reform is a significant national undertaking. The Government will continue this work in a transparent and consultative manner, focused on delivering reforms that strengthen fairness, accessibility, and public confidence in Bermuda’s democratic system.”
CLANK, CLANK, CLANKITY, CLANK. This can gets kicked down the road some more.
The PLP has no interest in enabling all citizens, normally resident in Bermuda (important), to be able to vote no matter where they happen to be on planet Earth.
They view these voters as OBA voters and a real threat to them retaining power. Retaining power and access to the money trough is top priority to them. They will do anything to delay a fair vote by those entitled to it for as long as possible.
They hide behind the excuse of ‘security’. Nonsense! We do our banking and all manner of sensitive communication online. If the PLP is so concerned about security they might check on all of the dead people on the polling records and the people no longer resident here.