Elections 2023
THE 1967 ELECTION FACTOR
It was the April 14, 1967 general elections that residents for the first time elected seven district representatives to the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council.
Earlier in the year, a new Constitution introduced a Ministerial Government to the territory, seventeen years after the first recorded modern elections.
Elections under the prior Constitution were introduced in 1950 to restore the Legislative Council after colonial legislatures in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and then a political hiatus.
The 1950 constitution facilitated four elected legislative members, two ex-official members and two nominated members.
Requirements for standing for election included income, property, and a deposit (forfeited with failure to garner a certain percentage of votes). The four members were elected in 1950 on a Territory-wide basis.
Four years later, the existing constitutional provisions were replaced with the Constitution and Elections Ordinance, 1954, which expanded the elected membership to six, divided amongst five district seats with Road Town – the present capital – having two representatives.
Historians agree that it was the 1967 general election that introduced true direct democratic rule in the BVI. The 1967 Constitution expanded the elected membership to seven, with each district having a single representative.
That year, general elections were contested by three newly formed political parties – The British Virgin Islands United Party led by Conrad Maduro; The Virgin Islands Democratic Party, led by Qwominer William Osborne and The People’s Own Party, led by Isaac Fonseca.
Only the BVI United Party contested all seven available seats, while the other two parties only fielded candidates in five districts. A total of 3,500 residents were registered voters.
Voter turnout was 73.2% or 2,557 that year, giving the BVI United Party an overall majority of four seats. But the party’s leader Conrad Maduro was disqualified from becoming Chief Minister because he did not win a seat.
Instead, H. Lavity Stoutt became the territory’s first Chief Minister and first Education Minister.
The VI Democratic Party won two seats and Q.W. Osborne was appointed the territory’s first opposition leader.
The third and final party, the People’s Own Party, won only one seat in the Legislative Council.
Ivan Dawson, despite not being a member of the BVI United Party, was appointed the territory’s first Minister for National Resources and Public Health. Cyril Romney became the first Native BVIslander to act as Financial Secretary of the BVI.
The 1967 Legislative Council is still referred to as the 6th Legislative Council, taking into consideration the five prior Councils elected under the 1950 Constitution.
In 1977, the Elections Ordinance expanded the number of district seats to nine and in 1994, four Territorial At-Large seats were introduced, creating a total of 13 elected members to sit alongside the two ex-officio members – the Speaker and the Attorney General.
Elections 2023
Virgin Islands Elections Office Moves to Expand Access Through Mobile and Absentee Voting
The Office of the Supervisor of Elections announced that the proposed Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2025 would expand access to voting by allowing election teams to visit specified locations so qualified and approved individuals can cast their ballots without attending a polling station in person.
According to the Bill, election officers would be authorised to operate mobile polling stations in hospitals, care facilities, prisons and private residences for voters unable to travel due to illness, disability or other qualifying reasons. Teams could also visit designated public locations ahead of polling day to serve approved absentee voters.
The proposed legislation sets out absentee and postal voting procedures, including application requirements and deadlines for voters who are overseas, medically unable to leave home, caring for dependents or on short-term remand. It also provides for emergency absentee voting in situations such as last-minute medical issues or work obligations.
The Bill further introduces terms such as “absentee voter,” “assistive voting technology,” and “curbside voting,” and would formally establish a Department of Elections responsible for voter registration, public education and the conduct of elections. It also proposes an Elections Advisory Committee to advise on electoral policy and operations.
If passed, the measure would represent one of the most significant updates to the Virgin Islands’ election laws in more than a decade, aiming to make voting more accessible while maintaining the established legal framework.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduces sweeping changes to the Territory’s electoral process, including expanded vote-by-mail provisions, the creation of a Department of Elections, stricter proof-of-residence requirements, and the establishment of an Elections Advisory Committee.
The Bill, now before the House of Assembly, establishes a Department of Elections under the administration of the Supervisor of Elections. The Department will oversee continuous voter registration, revisions to the voters’ roll, candidate nominations, voter education, and the conduct and monitoring of elections. It will also support the Electoral District Boundaries Commission, settle certain electoral disputes prior to results being declared, and incorporate technology to improve transparency and accountability.
The legislation expands voting access through new provisions for absentee, postal, curbside, and mobile voting. Students, government employees, and residents working or receiving medical care abroad may qualify to vote by mail. Elderly and disabled voters unable to enter polling stations may cast ballots from their vehicles, while mobile polling teams will be permitted to visit hospitals, aged-care facilities, prisons, and private homes. An internet-based tracking system will allow voters to monitor the status of their absentee ballots.
Stricter residency verification rules are also introduced. Applicants for voter registration must provide two months of utility bills, rent receipts, or insurance documents as proof of residence. Where this is not possible, a notarized letter or a signed form from the homeowner or principal occupier may be accepted. Submitting false documents carries a fine of up to $500.
The Bill also requires relatives of registered voters who die overseas to notify the Supervisor of Elections with supporting documents, including a death certificate and proof of relationship. False reporting may result in a fine of up to $2,000 or imprisonment for two years.
An Elections Advisory Committee will be created to advise the Supervisor of Elections on policy and operations. Members will be appointed by the Governor after a public application process and in consultation with the Premier, Leader of the Opposition, and the Attorney General. The Committee will include a chairperson, four to six members, and the Supervisor of Elections as an ex-officio member. Individuals currently serving as legislators, public officers, judges, or political party executives will not be eligible.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2025, also updates terminology by replacing “electronic tabulating system” with “electronic voting system” throughout the principal law. It provides for live-streaming of absentee ballot processing and requires recordkeeping, reporting, and safeguards for the handling of ballots before and after polling day.
If enacted, the Bill will amend the Elections Act, Revised Laws of the Virgin Islands 2013, with provisions coming into force on dates to be appointed by the Governor.
The Office of the Supervisor of Elections has published the 2025 Preliminary Voters List, giving registered voters in the Virgin Islands the opportunity to review their information and submit corrections before the final Revised Voters List is issued.
Officials said the publication of the preliminary list is a standard step in the election process and ensures that eligible voters are able to verify their details in advance of the next general election. Registered voters are encouraged to check their names, addresses, and other information and to report any inaccuracies promptly.
Corrections may be submitted through the Office of the Deputy Governor, located on the second floor of the Burhym Building in Road Town, Tortola, or directly to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections at 216 Upper Main Street, Creque Building, Road Town.
The Supervisor of Elections’ office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Voters may also contact the office by telephone at (284) 468-4380, by fax at (284) 468-2779, or by email at electionsvi@gov.vg.
The Office of the Deputy Governor may be reached at (284) 468-2195 or by email at dgo@gov.vg.
The Revised Voters List will be compiled following the correction period.
Visit https://gov.vg/service-details/2025-preliminary-voters-list to view the list and submit any claims or objections.
Governor’s Office Delivers Trauma Risk Management Training to Frontline Officers in Virgin Islands
Maya Marcellin Departs for Teen Universe International Pageant in Nicaragua
Andrea Wilson brings Caribbean colour to the NYFW debut
