Voters get chance to pick their party leaders
Published: September 8, 2012
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ST. THOMAS - The territory holds its primary election today, offering registered Democrats, Republicans and Independent Citizen Movement members a chance to select their political leaders.
Primary elections are an opportunity for political parties to chose their slate of candidates to run in the General Election. Under the V.I. Code, a primary election is required only if the number of candidates with the same party affiliation is more than the number of seats available.
For example, St. Croix does not require a primary election for the Senate race this year because only seven Democrats are running for the seven available Senate seats.
However, 20 Democrats are running for Senate in the St. Thomas-St. John District. The top seven voter-getters will run against any independent, Republican and ICM candidates in the General Election on Nov. 6.
As they do in each of the territory's elections, the federal government will have monitors working and a phone number for voters to call to report any election fraud or voting rights abuse.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews is appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Virgin Islands.
"Every Citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud," U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe said in a written statement. "The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process."
Andrews can be reached locally at 777-3363.
Complaints about ballot problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
All registered Democrats in the territory will be able to vote in the Democratic delegate to Congress and the Senate At-large contests.
Registered Republicans also will be selecting a candidate for the territory-wide delegate race.
In the St. Thomas-St. John District, a Democratic primary also will be held for the Senate race, the Board of Elections race and the Board of Education race.
ICM, Democrats and Republicans also will be selecting their political party leadership, voting for members of the various party territorial committees and district committees.
Democrats also will be selecting their party's district chairman, state chairman, national committee man and members of the At-large territorial committee.
Republicans will be choosing a national committee man, a national committee woman, state chairman and members of their district, At-large and territorial committees.
The ICM party is voting for members to the territorial committee from the St. Thomas-St. John District. The rest of the party positions are open for write-in nominations.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
- Contact reporter Aldeth Lewin at 714-9111 or email alewin@dailynews.vi.
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