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.
The 2024 Preliminary Voters List for the Virgin Islands has been released for public review, as mandated by Section 18 (6) of the Elections Act 1994 and its amendments. The list includes a total of 16,106 registered voters across the Territory’s nine electoral districts.
Supervisor of Elections, Scherrie Griffin, emphasised the importance of this review process, urging the public to ensure their information is accurate. “The publication of the Preliminary Voters List plays a crucial role in keeping the Territory’s Voters List up-to-date throughout the year. It is essential that individuals check their registration details for their respective districts,” Griffin stated.
The list is available for inspection at 48 locations throughout the Virgin Islands, including supermarkets, clinics, bars, restaurants, stores, government buildings, and the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. Additionally, the list can be accessed online at bvi.gov.vg/elections.
Those with objections or claims regarding the list must submit them between September 6 and 19 at the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, located in the Creque Building on Main Street, Tortola.
The Office of the Supervisor of Elections is reminding the public that voter registration is currently open. Eligible individuals are encouraged to register.
According to Section (2) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, eligibility to vote requires being a Belonger aged 18 or older and domiciled in the Virgin Islands.
To register, individuals must present a Virgin Islands Passport with an embossed seal, a Belonger’s Card, or a Belonger’s Certificate. A Naturalisation Certificate dated before June 15, 2007, is also acceptable.
Furthermore, Section 17(1) of the Elections (Amendment) Act No. 14 of 2011 states:
“A registered voter who is ordinarily resident in the Territory and who moves his place of residence from within one local electoral district or polling division to another, may have his name transferred to the list of voters for the local electoral district or polling division to which he has moved if he applies on Form No. 9 and establishes, to the satisfaction of the Supervisor of Elections, proof of residence within the local electoral district or polling division to which he/she has moved.”
Individuals who have changed their residence and wish to transfer their registration are encouraged to apply. Supporting documents for a transfer can include cable, water, electricity, or telephone bills, a rent receipt, lease agreement, or a notarized document stating the new address.
Registration and Transfer forms are available at the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, Road Town Post Office, the District Offices on Anegada and Virgin Gorda, and the Government Office on Jost Van Dyke. These forms can also be accessed online at BVI Government’s website under the services tab.
For further information, please contact the Office of the Supervisor of Elections at 284-468-4380 or 284-468-3701 Ext. 4380 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The office is located at Creque’s Building, #216 Upper Main Street, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
The Office of the Supervisor of Elections in the British Virgin Islands has announced the resumption of Voter Identification Card issuance.
To obtain the card, individuals must provide proof of identity along with updated registration information.
Accepted documents for proof of identity include a BVI Passport with an embossed seal, a Belonger Card, a Belonger Certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization (issued before June 15, 2007), or a previous Voter Identification Card if applicable.
Applicants seeking to change their name on the card or transfer their registration must submit specific documents. For a change of name, individuals must complete Form No.3 [Claim Form] in person at the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, accompanied by documents such as a Marriage Certificate, Divorce Decree, or Deed Poll. For transferring registration, Form No. 9 [Transfer of Registration] must be filled out in person at the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, along with additional proof of identity.
Additionally, applicants must provide proof of residence, which can include utility bills (Cable, Water, Electricity, or Telephone), rental receipts with the new address, or a notarized document from the head of household/lessee confirming residency.
It’s essential to note that utility bills or receipts must be dated within two months prior to the application date for a Voter Identification Card.
For further inquiries and information, individuals are encouraged to contact the Office of the Supervisor of Elections at 284-468-4380 or via email at electionsoffice@gov.vg.
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