Senator Barack Obama wins historic U.S. Presidential election – statement by U.S. Ambassador Ned L. Siegel of the Bahamas
NASSAU, The Bahamas – On Tuesday, November 4th, the people of the United States made history by electing the first African-American president in the history of the United States, Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois.
This concluded a historic campaign which pushed the boundaries of the expected and accepted in American politics – whether on issues of race, gender, or age – and ushered in a new era of technological progress and grass-roots participation in the democratic process.
The elections at all levels – federal, state, and local – saw a staggering 137 million citizen-voters go the polls. Millions volunteered their time and effort to participate in some way in the campaign activities. The 2008 elections were an overwhelming celebration of participatory democracy on an unprecedented scale.
The turnout reached historic levels – 65 percent of registered voters turned out setting the highest turnout rate since 1908. The enthusiasm and patience of the voters overcame the minor procedural problems that were reported. Overall, the machinery of American democracy worked smoothly and transparently.
The vote was free, fair, and unprecedented, and the voice of the American people was heard.
I believe that our relationship with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region will remain strong under the Obama administration.
