Facilitators' Answers —
English
 
Subscribe to ACE Newsletter
These topic pages provide a quick overview and easy access to all content that can be found on ACE for any give topic of interest - weather encyclopaedia files, electoral materials, comparative data, consolidated replies, case studies, or other.

ELECTORAL FRAMEWORK

Legal Framework Boundary Delimitation Electoral Systems

ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

Gender and Elections Parties and Candidates Disability and Elections Media and Elections Civic and Voter Education Direct Democracy

ELECTORAL MANAGEMENT

Electoral Management Cost of Elections

ELECTORAL INTEGRITY

Electoral Integrity Campaign Finance Measuring Electoral Quality Election Observation Electoral Assistance

ELECTORAL OPERATIONS

Voter Registration Voting Operations Voter Identification Results Management Out of Country Voting Elections and Technology Elections and Security
Countries
Encyclopaedia Electoral Materials Comparative Data Election Calendar Observation Portal BRIDGE Extended Learning Latest Updates
Ask the Experts Consolidated Replies Find An Expert Access ACE Practitioners' Workspace
About ACE The History of ACE Contact ACE ACE Partners Practitioners' Network FAQ
Document Actions

Direct Democracy

Bahamas Bahamas

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: "(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article, Parliament may, bay an Act of Constitution: Parliament passed by both Houses, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution or (in so far as it forms part of the law of the Bahamas) any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act, 1973. (2) In so far as it alters- [...] (ii) the Bill, after its passage through both Hose, has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill. (3) In so far as it alters- (ii) the Bill, after its passage through both Houses has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the elections of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote taken in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill." Constitution: "(1) A Bill shall not become law until the Governor-General has assented thereto in Her Majesty's behalf and has signed it in token of such assent. [...] (3) Any Bill to which Article 54(2) or (3) of this Constitution applies shall be presented to the Governor-General endorsed with certificates of the requisite majorities in accordance with whichever of those paragraphs applies to the Bill, and with a certificate of the Parliamentary Registrar that it has been approved by the majority of the electors voting on the Bill." Constitutional Referendum Act:"(1) For the purpose of obtaining the approval of the electors qualified to vote in an election of members of the House of Assembly with respect to a Bill submitted to them, which Bill seeks to alter an Article of the Constitution specified in Article 54(2) or (3) of the Constitution or any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act, 1973, a vote shall be taken by way of a referendum held in accordance with this Act. (2) The Governor-General may by proclamation appoint a day for the holding of a referendum, being a day not earlier than twenty-one days after the date of the proclamation. (3) The electors qualified to vote in a referendum shall be the electors who are qualified to vote as electors for the Election of members of the House of Assembly and for the purpose of referendum the register of voters prepared pursuant to section 13 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, 1992 shall be deemed to be closed ten days before the holding of the referendum."
Source: The Constitution of The Bahamas- Art.54 (2.ii and 3.ii) and 63 (3) Constitutional Referendum Act- Art. 2 http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf "Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook" (2008) (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: Constitution of the Bahamas: "(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article, Parliament may, bay an Act of Parliament passed by both Houses, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution or (in so far as it forms part of the law of the Bahamas) any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act, 1973. (2) In so far as it alters- [...] (ii) the Bill, after its passage through both Hose, has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill. (3) In so far as it alters- (ii) the Bill, after its passage through both Houses has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the elections of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote taken in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill." C:63 "(1) A Bill shall not become law until the Governor-General has assented thereto in Her Majesty's behalf and has signed it in token of such assent. [...] (3) Any Bill to which Article 54(2) or (3) of this Constitution applies shall be presented to the Governor-General endorsed with certificates of the requisite majorities in accordance with whichever of those paragraphs applies to the Bill, and with a certificate of the Parliamentary Registrar that it has been approved by the majority of the electors voting on the Bill." CRA:2 "(1) For the purpose of obtaining the approval of the electors qualified to vote in an election of members of the House of Assembly with respect to a Bill submitted to them, which Bill seeks to alter an Article of the Constitution specified in Article 54(2) or (3) of the Constitution or any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act, 1973, a vote shall be taken by way of a referendum held in accordance with this Act. (2) The Governor-General may by proclamation appoint a day for the holding of a referendum, being a day not earlier than twenty-one days after the date of the proclamation. (3) The electors qualified to vote in a referendum shall be the electors who are qualified to vote as electors for the Election of members of the House of Assembly and for the purpose of referendum the register of voters prepared pursuant to section 13 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, 1992 shall be deemed to be closed ten days before the holding of the referendum."
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Art. 54 (2.ii and 3.ii) and 63 (3) Constitutional Referendum Act, Art. 2 http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD004

Optional referendums (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB)
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB) http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB) http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD007


Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB) http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD129


Question:Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer: a. Always binding
Comments: the Bill, after its passage through both Houses has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the elections of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote taken in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill.
Source: Constitution Article 54.2.b.ii
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD130


Question:Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer: a. Constitutional changes only
Comments: The Constitution Referendum Act applies only to those laws which are enacted within the constitution. The act is to provide for the manner in which a vote shall be taken for the purpose of obtaining the approval of the electors with respect to a Bill which seeks to alter certain Articles of the Constitution of The Bahamas.
Source: Constitution Referendum Act (1977), Preamble. http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1977/1977-0016/ConstitutionalReferendumAct_1.pdf
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD131


Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB)
Verified: 2017/03/27
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
The data on this page is continuously updated. Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.