The voters of Warwick South Central head to the polls tomorrow to select their new MP, in the year’s second by-election for a constituency seen as a strong seat for the Opposition.

Three contenders have thrown their hats in the ring for Constituency 26: David Burch as an independent, Robyn Swan for the One Bermuda Alliance and Neville Tyrrell for the Progressive Labour Party. On advanced polling day last week, we spoke with the candidates to hear why they should represent Warwick South Central — the constituency formerly held by retired PLP leader Marc Bean, who stepped down on November 4.

The successful contender will be chosen at St Mary’s Church, the polling station that could give us the first taste of the General Election likely to come in the new year.

Robyn Swan’s eight years as a prison officer have had a deep influence on her political views — but her goals for Constituency 26 reflect the concerns she has heard on the doorstep.

Medical costs for seniors are a top issue. “People are deciding between their medicine and their food — that’s insane,” Ms Swan said. “Our seniors are a gold mine that we’re not tapping into. We must protect them.”

Having witnessed the impact of the law for minor cannabis offences, which have “a dramatic, unjust effect on black males”, Ms Swan supports decriminalisation, although she is “not for recreational use”.

She also saw the toll taken by jailing people for debt offences — “another thing we must tackle, to become more rehabilitative”.

She recalled pooling money with other officers to help out a lady in her 80s who “got locked up because she could not pay her bills”. “I lived it. I understand the Prisons Act. There are things we can do right now.”

At 36, Ms Swan is new to the electoral fray, but has a “proud” background with the cannabis reform collective, and joined the OBA as chairwoman of its youth wing, the Future Bermuda Alliance.

“I’ve always been fascinated with the political process. Living in the United States, I always watched the debates, the Senate.”

Ms Swan divided her upbringing between Warwick South Central and overseas, while her mother went to medical school: Portland and Bangor in Maine, North Carolina, and Halifax.

She has a background as a boxer with a “three win, zero loss record”, as well as a DJ and radio host, and is a proud member of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

Canvassing in Warwick South Central has left her appreciating “that Bermudians are gracious — PLP supporters still invite me into their homes, and I have been very grateful for their input”.

Area voters “tend to feel that they only see MPs around election time, and want MPs to be more involved”, Ms Swan said. “They should be seeing you consistently.”

Issues range from speeding and poor roads to dumping and the deficiencies of public education. Regardless of tomorrow’s outcome, Ms Swan said she was “trying to reach out to people, to address our race issues in a progressive manner”.

“Bermuda historically has not had people able to vent or address these issues. As a society, we have to do it.”