In July, 2003 Gavin Smith took on the Premier of Bermuda in the General Election — but he won't be doing it again on December 18.

Mr. Smith was just 24 when he decided to run as the sole candidate for his Gombey Liberation Party.

St. George's North, his choice of constituency, was no accident. It pitted him against then-Premier Jennifer Smith and the Opposition's Kenneth Bascome.

Mr. Smith picked up only 16 votes — but since there were only eight ballot papers between the other two candidates, he considers his presence to have had a huge influence on the result.

"That made the difference between Jennifer winning or losing," he claimed. "I gave them a viable option in that constituency. It gave Jennifer the election."

He added: "It was a statement. It was definitely a protest campaign. It was definitely about leading by example. A lot of Bermudians have settled into the idea that we only have two choices and we'll only ever have two choices."

He said his decision to stand angered both the PLP and UBP and he received threats — though he's still not saying from whom. "People called my parents and left messages. I think a lot of times that's just talk. They said: 'back off, tell your son back off or else'."

Now a married father-of-one, Mr. Smith has no desire to repeat his protest and stand against the pair again.

But he feels Bermuda's political system is still in the same adversarial quagmire and respects the two independents who are standing in other constituencies to offer an alternative.

"It doesn't feel like there has been any progress when it comes to tactics," he says, referring to the two parties' aggressive stances toward one another.

"I believe that when an alternative comes on the scene — which I believe is going to come in the next four years — that's when we will see the demise of one or both of them."

A supporter of Independence, the 29-year-old despairs of the current Westminster system and wonders if it will ever produce genuine debate and fresh ideas — particularly concerning young people.

"Bermuda is one of those places where the youth is seen as never engaged and not being as relevant as age and experience," he says. "A lot of people discount the youth vote. I don't feel like either party is aggressively or assertively or relevantly speaking to the youth."

Back in 2003, he admits his election platform was limited. But the one topic he did focus on was extremely close to his heart: conscription.

As a conscientious objector who avoided the draft, he feels the issue doesn't get the publicity it deserves, with politicians shying away from the topic.

"What I believe we need is a real Regiment that's a volunteer army," he says.

"Make it a viable career option. Now it's just a reform school."

The graphic designer and entrepreneur wants to hear from the current election candidates on how their party will ensure young Bermudians like him can buy a house for their family.

He says he and his wife make good money but have no hope of purchasing a home to bring up their three-year-old daughter Eden. He also wants to hear less about race — and more about people who can't afford lunch money for their children or have to forgo healthcare to pay for food and rent.

His time out canvassing in 2003 was not wasted, he believes. "What I came across on the doorstep at that time was that people were generally in favour of me," he says.

"It's just that you are only one person. You get in the House — what can you do? You get in the House and you can't make change. People didn't really want to waste their vote and I can't blame them for that. At the same time you need to start small and think big."

The name for his party, far from being a joke, was a celebration of the iconic status in Bermuda of Gombeys.

"It was about liberating our consciousness and our spirits from the shackles of the polarised system as well as alluding to liberation in terms of independence," he declares, before allowing himself a smile. "It was fanciful, there is no doubt about it."

Mr. Smith says that when he stood, some people thought he was rash to oppose the PLP without giving the party enough of a chance at Government.

"Now it's been eight years. People have a lot more history to go on to make their judgment and make their call. People have a much clearer picture. Will that lead to change in this immediate election? I personally don't believe so."

He has no regrets that he made his stand back in 2003 — and the electioneering could certainly prove useful experience.

"I'd be lying to you if I didn't say that was a goal of mine — to be the leader of this country," he says earnestly. "I was glad in 2003 that the powers-that-be on both teams got to see how a third quantity could affect things. I learned a lot about Bermuda and Bermudians and the process and friendship and family."