Bahamas votes as PLP, FNM, and COI face off in May 12 general election

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bahamians went to the polls Tuesday in a general election framed by cost of living, crime, immigration, and the governing performance of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’s Progressive Liberal Party after four years in office. Voter turnout in Central New Providence appeared smoother than the advance poll that preceded it, with the Tribune reporting steady processing across constituencies as polling stations closed at 6 p.m. and counting began.

The three-way contest is the most consequential feature of the race. The PLP, led by Davis, faces the Free National Movement under Michael Pintard — who replaced Hubert Minnis as FNM leader in 2021 — and the Coalition of Independents under Lincoln Bain, contesting all 41 constituencies for the first time. Pintard’s party brought in former NBA player Rick Fox as a Garden Hills candidate, part of an effort to broaden the FNM’s appeal beyond its traditional base. Bain’s COI is positioned as the alternative to two-party politics.

Coi on The Tradewinds Brief

Bahamas votes as PLP, FNM, and COI face off in May 12 general election