1997 Bahamian general election

General elections were held in the Bahamas on 14 March 1997. The result was a victory for the Free National Movement, which won 34 of the 40 seats. Hubert Ingraham was sworn in for a second term as Prime Minister on 18 March.

As of 2023, this is the most recent time that a Prime Minister has been re-elected for a second consecutive term in the Bahamas.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Free National Movement	68,766	57.70	34	+1
	Progressive Liberal Party	49,932	41.90	6	–10
	Independents	475	0.40	0	New
Total		119,173	100.00	40	–9
Valid votes		119,173	98.43
Invalid/blank votes		1,900	1.57
Total votes		121,073	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		129,946	93.17
Source: Caribbean Elections

Elected MPs

Number	Name	Party	District	Ethnicity
1	Sylvia Scriven	Free National Movement	New Providence East - St. Margaret	Black
2	Pierre Dupuch	Free National Movement	New Providence East - Shirlea	White
3	William Allen	Free National Movement	New Providence East - Montagu	Black
4	Juanianne Dorsette	Free National Movement	New Providence East – Fox Hill	Black
5	Janet Bostwick	Free National Movement	New Providence East - Yawmacraw	Black
6	Lestor Turnquest	Free National Movement	New Providence East - Malcolm Creek	Black
7	Carl Bethell	Free National Movement	New Providence East – Holy Cross	Black
8	Zhivargo Laing	Free National Movement	New Providence West – Fort Charlotte	Black
9	Watkins Floyd	Free National Movement	New Providence West - Delaporte	Black
10	Anthony Rolle	Free National Movement	New Providence West - Carmichael	Black
11	Frank Watson	Free National Movement	New Providence West – Adelaide	Black
12	Dion Faulkes	Free National Movement	New Providence West – Blue Hills	Black
13	Orville Turnquest	Free National Movement	New Providence West – Mt. Moriah	Black
14	Gregory Williams	Free National Movement	New Providence West – Bain Town	Black
15	Bradley Roberts	Progressive Liberal Party	New Providence South – Grants Town	Black
16	Perry Christie	Progressive Liberal Party	New Providence South – Centreville	Black
17	Cynthia A. Pratt	Progressive Liberal Party	New Providence South – St. Cecilia	Black
18	Phillip Galanis	Progressive Liberal Party	New Providence South - Englerston	Black
19	Algernon Allen	Free National Movement	New Providence South - Marathon	Black
20	Italia Johnson	Free National Movement	New Providence South - Garden Hills	Black
21	Theresa Moxey-Ingraham	Free National Movement	New Providence South – Golden Gates	Black
22	Tennyson Wells	Free National Movement	New Providence South – Bamboo Town	Black
23	Bernard Nottage	Progressive Liberal Party	New Providence South – Kennedy	Black
24	Michael Smith	Free National Movement	New Providence South – South Beach	Black
25	David Wallace	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – West End & Bimini	Black
26	Cornelius A. Smith	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – Pine Ridge	Black
27	Kenneth Russell	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – High Rock	Black
28	Lindy Russell	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – Eight Mile Rock	Black
29	Neko Grant	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – Lucaya	Black
30	David Thompson	Free National Movement	Grand Bahama – Marco City	Black
31	Earl Deveaux	Free National Movement	Andros – North Andros & Berry Islands	Black
32	Lynden Pindling	Progressive Liberal Party	Andros – South Andros & Mangrove Cay	Black
33	Hubert Ingraham	Free National Movement	Abaco – North Abaco	Black
34	Robert Sweeting	Free National Movement	Abaco – South Abaco	White
35	Alvin Smith	Free National Movement	Eleuthera – North Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, & Harbour Island	Black
36	Anthony Miller	Free National Movement	Eleuthera – South Eleuthera	Black
37	James Miller	Free National Movement	Cat Island, San Salvador & Rum Cay	Black
38	Elliot Lockheart	Free National Movement	Exuma – Exuma	Black
39	James Knowles	Free National Movement	Long Island – Long & Ragged Island	White
40	Vernon Symonette	Free National Movement	Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked, Acklins, & Long Cay Islands	Black
Source: Election Passport