The majority of registered voters continue to feel they are not well informed on proposed changes to the electoral system, according to the latest poll commissioned by the lobby group, The Association for Due Process and the Constitution.

The Association released yesterday summary findings of the poll of 404 registered voters, with a 4.9 percent margin of error.

“It is plain to see that Government, the political parties and the Boundaries Commission have so far failed to win the confidence of the people, who have consistently indicated in two previous polls that they feel left out of the process and left in the dark,” the Association said in a press release.

The poll results show that 81 percent of the respondents felt they were not well informed on the proposed changes, while only 16.5 percent considered themselves well informed.

And the majority (81 percent) also felt that the process has not been properly handled. Racial differences were also evident in the poll results.

Among black respondents 19.4 percent said they were well informed on the proposed changes compared to only 10.5 percent of whites.

Asked “In your opinion, have the procedures to change the Constitution and alter the electoral system been properly handled?” 19.6 percent of blacks said yes compared to only 13.5 percent of whites.

And 35.4 percent of blacks said they did not believe that the Association was providing balanced information concerning the boundaries changes ;fifty three percent said they did. But among whites the figures were 18.9 percent and close to 80 percent respectively.

The Association opposes changes to the Constitution without a constitutional conference.

In yesterday's release it argued that the Boundaries Commission was being charged with dealing with a “political question” which should be decided “around the table at a constitutional conference in accordance with established constitutional practice seen in 1966 and 1979”.

But, it says, it will be sending in a submission to the Commission in order to ensure public participation.

“The purpose is to represent the public in pursuit of the Order in Council of August 21 which gives the public the right to express their views on all functions of the Commission, since it is a right of which 83 percent of the public is unaware and accordingly the Commission is, in view of attendance levels at the recent public meetings, receiving insufficient input from them,” the statement continues.

“If the Association did not act, then the public right would go largely unexercised.”

The statement added : “Eighty five percent of the electorate were also unaware that the right to due process and the right to effective representation are basic human rights recognised by Bermuda law. However the Association for Due Process is very aware of these rights, and makes its submissions and continues its struggle in an effort to preserve these rights for future generations.”

The Boundaries Commission was empowered by an order in council last summer to draw up recommendations on the number, and boundaries, of constituencies in a revamped single seat constituency system.

The number of seat to be recommended must be between 20 and 40 inclusive. Four widely publicised meetings with the public were held by the Boundaries Commission in recent weeks.