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.
