The One Bermuda Alliance said questions about the Government’s electoral reform plans remained unanswered after a series of public meetings.

Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Tourism, Culture and Transport, said that he had hoped the Government would have disclosed more about its plans for electoral reform during the consultation process.

Mr Robinson said: “I am all for consultation but the public has received very little concrete information on the Government's actual plan for electoral reform.

“The Government refused to support our Bill because of issues it didn't wish to go into depth on and a plan it would not share.

“My hope was that during this process a concrete plan would be shared with the public as, according to the minister, the plan had been in motion prior to the tabling of the One Bermuda Alliance's Absentee Voting Act 2025.

“Instead, it operated more like a brainstorming session with very vague answers. The minister didn't even bother to show up for the final town hall, giving the whole exercise a rubber-stamp feel.”

Mr Robinson called on the Government to detail its plan for electoral reform, the structure of the proposed working group and a concise timeline for reaching its September deadline.

He added: “Education reform has shown us that the wait-and-see approach with the PLP can yield devastating results for Bermuda.

“The way this has been handled does not inspire confidence that the September 2026 deadline will be reached.”

A Government spokesman said that it was important not to rush electoral reform and it deserved thoughtful discussion.

The spokesman said: “From the outset, the Government has been clear about its approach. Electoral reform must be grounded in research, consultation and careful policy development before legislation is drafted.

“That position was stated during the Budget Debate in May and has guided the work ever since. Consultation is not a delay tactic, nor is it a ‘rubber stamp’, it is how durable and effective reform is achieved.”

The spokesman said the town halls were intended to allow the Government to listen and test ideas rather than present a finished policy, noting that the consultation process also included engagement with overseas students and work with the Parliamentary Registrar and stakeholders.

He added: “It is important to recognise that consultation is meant to shape policy. The electoral reform policy framework will be published once this phase is complete and it will include clear timelines and next steps before any legislation is brought forward.”

The spokesman said Mr Rabain was kept from this week’s town hall because of an unusually long Cabinet meeting but the session had followed the same format as the previous seven meetings and feedback had been captured to help inform the policy framework.

He maintained that the Government was on track to complete the work by September and reiterated the commitment to bipartisan collaboration.

“As outlined in correspondence to the Leader of the Opposition on December 8, this process was always intended to include space for the Opposition’s views before legislation is drafted. That offer remains open, because strengthening Bermuda’s democracy requires co-operation.

“Electoral reform is a significant national undertaking. The Government will continue this work in a transparent and consultative manner, focused on delivering reforms that strengthen fairness, accessibility and public confidence in Bermuda’s democratic system.”

The Progressive Labour Party administration came under criticism last year from overseas students who were unable to return to the island to vote in the last General Election.

The OBA last year tabled its own legislation to open the door to absentee voting for students, the Absentee Voting Act 2025, but the legislation was not allowed to be debated on the basis that it was a money Bill.

The Government previously urged the OBA to collaborate with it on more wide-ranging electoral reforms, which it hoped to put in place by September.

Since November, the Government has hosted a series of town halls on the topic of electoral reform across the island, with the final meeting taking place at the West End Sailboat Club on Tuesday.

Issues discussed during the meetings included introducing absentee voting for Bermudian students studying overseas and modernising electoral systems and technology.

Other elements of the proposed reforms include establishing rules for political parties and campaign financing, ensuring the voters’ register remains accurate, private and transparent and setting consistent rules for polling day administration.