The Premier encouraged young Bermudians yesterday to get more involved in politics as he announced the Progressive Labour Party’s latest candidates for the General Election.David Burt — who unveiled Arianna Hodgson and Davida Morris to compete for seats held by the One Bermuda Alliance — said that the PLP now had its highest number of women running for an election.He added that the party had taken steps to help young people, such as investing in education and providing economic growth for small businesses and entrepreneurs.Mr Burt said: “Young people and those persons who are entrepreneurs recognise the work that the Progressive Labour Party has done and I’m sure they will continue to support us due to that work and effort of which we put inside of our communities.”He added: “I’m proud to once again note that we will have our highest number of women running during this cycle for the Progressive Labour Party, a party that has a proud history of women in leadership roles.”Six of the PLP’s 12 new candidates are women, in addition to four sitting female MPs who are expected to be confirmed as candidates today.Ms Hodgson, the granddaughter of former government minister Arthur Hodgson and great-niece of the late activist Eva Hodgson, will run in Paget West against OBA candidate Jarion Richardson.Mr Richardson took over as the OBA representative for the constituency when Patricia Gordon-Pamplin announced her retirement from politics last Wednesday.Ms Gordon-Pamplin won Paget West for the OBA in 2017 by defeating Emily-Gail Hill of the PLP by 645 votes to 317.She defeated PLP candidate Darius Tucker five years earlier by 676 votes to 202.Ms Hodgson said that she wanted to focus on the growth of female leadership as well as empowering youth through education.She added that she was “on a mission” to include more young people in politics and remind them that their voices mattered.Ms Hodgson said: “Over the last few weeks we’ve heard people complain that they’re not going to vote or that they’re choosing one of the lesser evils and that, quite frankly, many of them are disinterested.“I think it’s important to reach out to these persons and to engage them and let them know that there is a space for them at the table.”Ms Hodgson said that her political family ties and mixed-race family allowed her to see current issues from different perspectives.Ms Morris, who became a PLP senator for a year in 2006 at the age of 26, will run in Pembroke South West against OBA candidate Susan Jackson.Ms Jackson, who was Opposition Whip and shadow government reform minister in the last Parliament, defeated the PLP’s Graham Maule in 2017 by 650 votes to 176.She claimed victory over Marcus Jones, then of the PLP, five years earlier by 654 votes to 127. Ms Morris, now the mother of a young son, said that the country still faced many of the same issues as when she was in office 13 years ago, such as affordable healthcare and economic stability.She added: “ I understand that everyone wants to and should be able to live in a manner that not only are their basic needs met, but they are also able to pursue their dreams.”Mr Burt also announced that early voting would be available next week for seniors and anyone out of the country on October 1.Four polling stations will be open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm.Seniors can take part in the advanced poll to limit traffic on Election Day and promote effective social distancing.• For more information, visit www.elections.gov.bm/general -election/advanced-polling.html • To read the remarks from the candidates and David Burt, the Premier, click on the PDF links under “Related Media”