Buoyed by his party winning back the seat in Warwick North East (Constituency 25), a fresh MP says he is ready to hold the Government to account.

Douglas De Couto, of the One Bermuda Alliance, won with 529 votes, about 64 per cent of ballots cast.

He came out ahead of Joanne Ball-Burgess of the Progressive Labour Party who netted 235 votes and independent candidate Justin Mathias, a former OBA chairman and senator, who received 55 votes.

A total of 819, or about 61 per cent of 1,325 registered voters, voted in Constituency 25.

Speaking on his victory outside the polling station at the Bright Temple AME Church Hall in Warwick, Dr De Couto said: “It feels great - I think it’s a reflection of the hard work I put in and the confidence that the people have in me.

“It’s also daunting because as we know, the real work starts today.”

He thanked his wife, family, volunteers and party colleagues, and he added: “I am here to serve the people of Constituency 25 and the country of Bermuda.”

Dr De Couto said his attention during the campaign and in the previous legislature had been on financial matters and he intends to sharpen his focus on the requisite issues.

He said: “I will be going in with a keen focus on holding the Government accountable on the Budget, for the people of Bermuda and their funds.

Earlier Dr De Couto said he was encouraged by the “friendly” atmosphere at the polling station.

He added: “It’s a very relaxed group, we have been very respectful and it has been fabulous to see democracy in action and to feel a nice Bermudian spirit.”

Ms Ball-Burgess said the voter turnout “seemed to be a bit slow” and as a first-time candidate, she said the journey had been one of hard work, lots of faith, but limited time.

“But I am so happy, I have been telling people that either way the race goes, I am not going to run away from the constituency,” she said, adding: “I am here to work with everyone”.

Mr Mathias said voters appeared “positive” as they streamed into to vote and he said low-voter turnout in some constituencies spoke to the need for more participation by voters in the electoral process.

In the 2020 General Election, 824 of 1,311 voters voted in Warwick North East. Ianthia Simmons-Wade won the seat — which was previously held by the OBA — with 419 votes, about a 50 per cent share. Jon Brunson, of the OBA, came in second with 405 votes.