For years, calls for absentee voting have echoed throughout Bermuda’s political landscape. From Dwayne Robinson to Bermuda Youth Connect and many others — myself included — there has been consistently advocacy for this fundamental democratic right.

At last, it seems the Government is starting to listen. I commend minister Diallo Rabain for raising this crucial issue well before another election cycle begins. His acknowledgement is a step in the right direction.

But let me be clear: the phrase “very near future” gives me pause — and a serious side-eye.

I must remind our leaders that ours is the generation that coined the term “gaslighting”. We know how to spot vague political language, and we will not allow it to undermine our democracy. What we need are concrete timelines and actionable commitments from now until 2026 — not soft promises that could conveniently disappear when the pressure dies.

This isn’t just a Bermuda issue. Across the globe, democracies are grappling with disenfranchisement, and many have implemented innovative solutions to ensure every citizen’s voice is heard.

Absentee voting is neither revolutionary nor complicated. It is the bare minimum any government should offer to uphold democratic values. And let’s be honest — no one should expect applause for doing the basics. Or, as I like to say more casually, don’t clap for a fish that swims.

We reject political expediency. Our generation was sidelined during the last election, which was called soon after university students returned abroad in the wake of the Christmas break. That moment wasn’t just unfortunate; it was disenfranchisement in plain sight. Ensuring accessible voting isn’t an accomplishment; it’s a democratic obligation that should have been in place long ago.

The irony is stark. Our premier visits Bermudian students in London and asks why we don’t return home after graduation — yet our voices remain excluded from the very process that decides our island’s future. So again I ask: how can young Bermudians feel invested in their homeland when they are shut out of having a say in its direction?

This isn’t just about students. Bermudians living abroad for work, serving in essential roles, or caring for loved ones overseas face the same obstacle. Many of these citizens still own homes, run businesses and contribute meaningfully to the island’s economy. They plan to return, but are denied a voice at the ballot box.

As we look ahead to a potential implementation date of September 2026, I call for genuine, cross-party collaboration. This is not a Progressive Labour Party issue, a One Bermuda Alliance issue or a Free Democratic Movement issue. This is a Bermuda issue. Our democracy is strongest when more voices — not fewer — are heard.

To the sitting government: we, the young people, are watching. We are organised. And we will hold you accountable. September 2026 is not just a deadline — it’s a promise to an entire generation of Bermudians who refuse to accept third-class citizenship in their own democracy.

The time for half-measures and vague commitments has passed. Our democracy demands better. And so do we.

• Jahdia Spencer is the Free Democratic Movement’s Youth Leader and a councillor of West Thamesmead Ward in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, in London, England