Candidates’ photos will be placed on ballot papers at the next election to aid illiterates who don’t want to make a mistake with their vote.

The measure was passed with all-party support but led to some heated debate as Opposition MPs said there were far more serious voting problems which were being ignored by Government.

Introducing the bill Premier Ewart Brown said: “This Government recognises democracy is not a spectator sport. At the heart of democracy is the right to vote and to have that vote count.”

He said making the ballots more user-friendly would ensure votes did not go astray, something which could happen with name-only voting papers.

“Regrettably there is no basis for confidence when statistical data reveals there are certain population groups that may be challenged when it comes to understanding written instructions.”

He said tests had shown some voters were unable to read names on the ballots.

While Government would continue to tackle the literacy problem Dr. Brown said immediate measures were needed to make sure elections were as fair and free as possible and electors didn’t feel intimidated or confused about marking their ballot.

So photos are being attached, explained Dr. Brown. He added: “By no means does this amendment constitute comprehensive electoral reform.

“This Government stands on its promise to continue research into electronic and proxy voting and to conduct a full review of the Parliamentary Act.

“Today, however, we offer a common sense reform to ensure the inclusion of the common man.”

Opposition Shadow Attorney General John Barritt said he was in support of the bill but wondered why more pressing electoral reforms had been shelved.

“It’s like tinkering with the pictures on the Titanic when we have a hole in the ship.”

He said absentee balloting needed to be tackled because there were a tremendous amount of people who lost out on the right to vote because they were away on election day or the week before on the advance polling day.

“People ought not to be deprived of their vote in the 21st century in Bermuda. That’s something we should be getting on with. But that’s hard work, that’s heavy lifting. But this is easy simple stuff.”

He said there were around 1,500 people listed by the Parliamentary Registrar as being registered in a seat they have since left.

In tight seats it meant the balance could be tipped by voters who had left the area said Mr. Barritt who added some might be deliberately not re-registering because they knew their vote counted more in a marginal constituency.

He said the Parliamentary Registrar had very limited power to force corrective action. “And that is wrong,” he said.

Mr. Barritt questioned who would choose the photographs. “What about someone like me who figures he doesn’t want to be elected on his looks and doesn’t want his photograph in there?”

Premier Ewart Brown said photos would be in colour and the candidates would select their own picture “regardless of their age at the time”.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons said there had been plenty of self righteous cant from Government in bringing only this measure forward and not more important ones.

“The Premier said democracy isn’t a spectator sport. It seems to be a spectator sport, as far as the Government is concerned, for people not on the Island for the advance poll or polling day.”

He said legislation had been prepared on that but it had not been brought forward even though it would be easy to do so.