United States Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 United States Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention election was an election to the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands
in the United States Virgin Islands
on 12 June 2007. The convention was the fifth attempt to give the United States territory
its own constitution
; previous constitutional conventions had been elected (without a constitution being adopted) in 1964, 1971, 1977 and 1980.http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_editorial?id=17609109 http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-2058--19-19--.html.
There were thirty delegates elected — fifteen from Saint Croix
, twelve from Saint Thomas
, and three from Saint John
. Two delegates from each of those districts were elected by voters on a territory-wide basis.
It should then (after review periods by the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, the President of the United States
and the United States Congress
) be put to a referendum, possibly in November 2010.
If the people of the Virgin Islands do not ratify a constitution, they will continue to be governed by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, which was passed by the United States Congress. It is a federal law, meaning the people of the Virgin Islands cannot amend it themselves.
Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands
The Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands was a constitutional convention of the United States Virgin Islands. It was authorized by , and implemented by the 25th Legislature of the Virgin Islands...
in the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
on 12 June 2007. The convention was the fifth attempt to give the United States territory
United States territory
United States territory is any extent of region under the jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters including all U.S. Naval carriers. The United States has traditionally proclaimed the sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing its...
its own constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
; previous constitutional conventions had been elected (without a constitution being adopted) in 1964, 1971, 1977 and 1980.http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_editorial?id=17609109 http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-2058--19-19--.html.
There were thirty delegates elected — fifteen from Saint Croix
Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Formerly the Danish West Indies, they were sold to the United States by Denmark in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of...
, twelve from Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, and three from Saint John
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint John is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. St...
. Two delegates from each of those districts were elected by voters on a territory-wide basis.
Election Results
| Name | Seat | Number of votes |
|---|---|---|
| Adelbert Bryan | St. Croix at-large | 4,841 |
| Gerard Luz James II | St. Croix at-large | 3,555 |
| Arturo Watlington Jr. | St. Thomas-St. John at-large | 4,065 |
| Craig Barshinger | St. Thomas-St. John at-large | 2,732 |
| Dr. Eugene Petersen | St. Croix | 2,856 |
| Michael Thurland | St. Croix | 2,323 |
| Claire Roker | St. Croix | 2,094 |
| Rena Brodhurst | St. Croix | 1,894 |
| Doug Capdeville | St. Croix | 1,822 |
| Arnold Golden | St. Croix | 1,794 |
| Richard Schrader Jr. | St. Croix | 1,775 |
| Gerard Emanuel | St. Croix | 1,588 |
| Mary Moorhead | St. Croix | 1,548 |
| Kendall Petersen | St. Croix | 1,504 |
| Violet Anne Golden | St. Croix | 1,498 |
| Robert Schuster | St. Croix | 1,479 |
| Douglas Brady | St. Croix | 1,457 |
| Myron Jackson | St. Thomas | 2,546 |
| Charles Turnbull Charles Wesley Turnbull Charles Wesley Turnbull , was the 26th Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.He was born on St. Thomas. Prior to being elected in 1998, he was a professor at the University of the Virgin Islands, Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of the territorial Department of Education, principal and... |
St. Thomas | 2,482 |
| Alecia Wells | St. John | 2,186 |
| Lawrence Sewer | St. Thomas | 2,096 |
| Lois Hassell-Habtes | St. Thomas | 2,082 |
| Clement Magras | St. Thomas | 2,015 |
| Elsie Thomas-Trotman | St. John | 1,890 |
| Stedmann Hodge Jr. | St. Thomas | 1,747 |
| Thomas Moore | St. Thomas | 1,695 |
| Francis Jackson | St. Thomas | 1,680 |
| Mario Francis | St. Thomas | 1,500 |
| Wilma Marsh Monsanto | St. Thomas | 1,499 |
| Lisa Williams | St. Thomas | 1,378 " |
Process
The delegates had until May 31, 2009 to deliberate on a constitution proposal. The convention did not start work in July 2007, as planned, due to delays over legal challenges to the poll; it finally convened on 29 October 2007.http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-4192--19-19--.html http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17616581It should then (after review periods by the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
) be put to a referendum, possibly in November 2010.
If the people of the Virgin Islands do not ratify a constitution, they will continue to be governed by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, which was passed by the United States Congress. It is a federal law, meaning the people of the Virgin Islands cannot amend it themselves.