ST. CROIX — It was still unknown following a special meeting today whether the Virgin Islands Board of Elections will uphold or vacate Ida Smith’s disqualification as a delegate to Congress candidate for the November 5 general election because of dual voter registration.
Board members, who participated in the meeting virtually as well as from the Elections System of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix and St. Thomas, previously discussed the matter during an emergency meeting Monday but delayed its decision pending the receipt of additional information.
READ MORE: “Board of Elections delays decision on Ida Smith’s candidacy; meeting marred by confusing motions.”
Since the board was scheduled to approve the general election ballots for each district during today’s special meeting, board members agreed on Monday to continue the discussion about Smith’s candidacy at that time. The board held its discussion on the matter in executive session.
After executive session, the board voted 8 to 0 to delay approval of general election ballots until September 4 pending legal advice on the disputed delegate to Congress position.
Lilliana Belardo de O’Neal, the only board member from the St. Croix District who attended the meeting in person, abstained from voting, while five members were absent. She said she abstained because she was not able to log into the virtual executive session discussion.
“I cannot vote for a motion that I don’t know the background of the motion, so I had to abstain,” she said after the meeting. “I didn’t want to vote against the motion, but I couldn’t vote for the motion not knowing what happened.”
Belardo de O’Neal said she agreed that the general election ballots should not be approved until the board acts on Smith’s August 19 request via email that her disqualification by Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes be vacated, and that the cancellation of her voter’s registration be reinstated.
“How can we accept the ballot when we have a pending case of Mrs. Smith?” she asked.
Belardo de O’Neal said she agreed the board needs to receive legal advice on the matter before voting to approve the ballots. She said Smith should be placed on the ballot if she meets the candidacy requirements.
“If you look at the U.S. and the local, there’s conflicting information right there,” she said. “So, we need the attorney general to give us a legal opinion.”
After receiving a legal opinion, Belardo de O’Neal said the board should then act on approving the ballots.
“I know the emergency of getting this ballot because they have to go overseas, but we can’t send a ballot with questionable remarks on it,” she said.
September 13 is the deadline for the Elections System to mail federal ballots to military and overseas personnel.
While Belardo de O’Neal abstained from voting on the motion, it was approved by Florine Audain-Hassell, Kareem Francis, Lydia Hendricks, Angeli Leerdam, Harriet Mercer, Atanya Springette, Raymond Williams, and board chair Alecia Wells. The five absent members were Lisa Harris-Moorhead, Shikima Jones-Sprauve, Epiphane Joseph, Michael Joseph, and Arturo Watlington Jr.
