GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

ELECTION SYSTEM OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

FACT SHEET FOR THE FIFTH CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

1. Selection and number of delegates

The Constitutional Convention shall be comprised of 30 delegates, who shall be elected from the legislative districts of the Virgin Islands, as established in title 2, section 101, Virgin Islands Code. The delegates shall be selected as follows:

1. Thirteen delegates shall be elected from the district of St. Croix, who shall

Be residents of St. Croix;

(2) Thirteen delegates shall be elected from the district of St. Thomas-St. John, who shall be residents of either St. Thomas or St. John, provided that not fewer than two delegates shall be residents of St. John; and

(3) Four delegates shall be elected at large by the qualified voters of the Virgin Islands from the Virgin Islands as a whole; of the four, two shall be residents of the district of St. Croix, and two shall be residents of the district of St. Thomas-St. John.

2. Qualification of delegates

No person may file a petition to be a candidate for delegate, be elected to or seated as a member of the Constitutional Convention unless the person is;

1. a. citizen of the United States;

2. a qualified voter of the Virgin Islands; and

3. a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands for not less than three years

immediately preceding the date of election.

3. Eligibility of Government Employees

Notwithstanding any other law, an employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands who meets the qualifications under subsection (2) of this section may seek election to and serve as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention established under this Act. Any employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands who files a valid petition, as provided under subsection (h), paragraph (2), of this section, and becomes a candidate for delegate, shall be granted a leave as may be required to campaign for a delegate seat. If elected, the employee shall be granted a leave of absence as may be required to serve as delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and shall receive compensation as provided in subsection (m), paragraph (2) of this section. The leave of absence granted by this subsection may not, in any way, lessen the employment rights of the employee, including but not limited to, the right to return to his position and salary held prior to the employee's election to the Convention, and no leave of absence granted by this section may be charged against an employee's accumulated annual leave, unless the employee shall so elect.

4. Special election of delegates

All delegates to the Constitutional Convention shall be elected at a special election to be held on June 12, 2007. Every qualified voter may vote for no more than thirteen candidates for the legislative district for which the voter is a resident and for no more than four candidates for delegate-at-large. The Supervisor of Elections shall prescribe the form of the special election ballot; except that neither political party symbols nor political party designations may appear on any ballot.

Ballots must be printed in English with a Spanish translation immediately following. All candidates shall have their names printed on the same face of the ballot and no name may be displayed more prominently than another. Timely notice of this special election must be published and broadcast in Spanish and English as prescribed by the Supervisor of Elections.

5. Conduct of the Special Election

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the special election shall be governed by the election laws of the Virgin Islands, as provided under title 18 Virgin Islands Code, and all penalties provided by the law shall apply to the special election.

(2) Each candidate for delegate shall file a petition with the Supervisor of Elections signed by 25 qualified voters of the district in which the candidate will seek election, except that a petition for the delegates-at-large must be signed by 25 qualified voters of any of the Virgin Islands election districts.

(3) All candidates for delegate whose valid petitions are filed with the Supervisor of Elections no later than 5:00 pm, May 16, 2007, shall be listed on an official ballot as provided by the Supervisor of Elections.

6. Registration of voters

Notwithstanding any other law, any individual who is eligible to register to vote under the Virgin Islands Code, may register to vote on any regular business day thirty days prior to the election. Registration during this period shall qualify and be considered valid registration for the special election and the succeeding regular elections in the same manner as if the registration has been other than for a special election. Registration shall be conducted in a manner prescribed by the Supervisor of Elections, consistent with the laws of the Virgin Islands.

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