ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Board of Elections voted to give $10,000 pay raises to all four exempt employees of the Elections System of the Virgin Islands during a meeting Wednesday in addition to approving the percentage of paper ballots needed for the upcoming primary and general elections.
The board members, who participated in the meeting virtually between the ESVI offices on St. Croix and St. Thomas as well as from other locations, approved the pay raises for the System’s four employees with exempt status, meaning they receive a salary rather than an hourly wage and do not qualify for overtime.
The four employees who will receive the raises effective October 1, the beginning of fiscal year 2025, are Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes, St. Croix Deputy Supervisor of Elections Terrell Alexandre, St. Thomas/St. John Deputy Supervisor of Elections Kevermay Douglas, and Richard Wilson, administrative assistant to the 14-member Board of Elections.
The board’s action to approve the raises came on the heels of a Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance meeting on June 20, during which Fawkes told senators the Elections System does not have sufficient funding to conduct both the primary and general elections. She suggested unspent funding appropriated to other government agencies should be given to ESVI.
“I understand the government is financially challenged right now, but there’s some funding that they need to shake out from organizations that don’t spend their money to give it to organizations that need the balance of the money,” Fawkes said. “That’s what we do in the federal government. Those agencies that don’t expend the money, when you see them in July and they haven’t spent 80% of their money, take from them and give it to us. Even if half, we will take half. I don't want 100%.”
Fawkes presented a proposed fiscal year 2025 budget of $3.42 million, including $3 million for the Office of the Supervisor of Elections and $427,860 for the Board of Elections. The request represents an increase of $648,468 above the FY 2024 appropriation to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections ($2,529,392) and Board of Elections ($250,000). Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s budget recommendation for ESVI in FY 2025 includes $2.5 million to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections and $250,000 to the Board of Elections, totaling $2.75 million.
Fawkes told lawmakers during the budget hearing that the Elections System received a $450,000 appropriation to conduct the primary and general elections, noting it costs more than $250,000 to conduct a primary. She said $450,000 is insufficient based on historical data, questioning how the System will be able to execute two elections with reduced funding. She said ESVI has not received an increase in its budget for more than five years. She said the proposal from the Office of Management and Budget is to receive the same annual funding in FY 2025 that the System received during this fiscal year, noting the general election will be held next fiscal year.
“We are tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Fawkes said. “I can and will no longer take monies from the Office of the Supervisor or the Board of Elections general funds to cover any elections-related expenses. This continuous mode of operation of receiving no increase in the general funds will eventually place the Elections System of the Virgin Islands in a precarious position.”
The motion to approve the salary increases passed by a vote of 8 to 3, with two abstentions and one board member absent. Raymond Williams, who placed his objection to the motion on the record, voted against it along with Epiphane Joseph and Harriet Mercer. Kareem Francis and Angeli Leerdam abstained from voting. Arturo Watlington Jr. was absent.
The board members who voted to approve the raises were Shikima Jones, Lydia Hendricks, Florine Audain-Hassell, Lisa Harris-Moorhead, Michael Joseph, Lilliana Belardo de O’Neal, Atanya Springette, and Alecia Wells, board chair.
Harris-Moorhead pointed out there was sufficient funding in the lump-sum budget to support the raises, noting it has been nearly a decade since Fawkes or Alexandre have received a significant salary increase.
“They got a miniscule raise a couple of years ago but nothing comparable for the time that they’ve worked,” she said after the meeting.
Michael Joseph said he supported the motion to compensate Wilson for the hard work he does on behalf of the board.
“Without Richard, the board really would be like a fish out of water,” he said. “I’m amazed by how hard he works.”
Belardo de O’Neal said she voted for the raises because the exempt employees work long hours and on weekends without ever getting paid overtime.
“I think that based on their performance, effectiveness, and the hard, long hours that they work, they deserve the raises,” she said.
The board also voted to approve a recommendation from Fawkes regarding the percentage of paper ballots necessary for the primary election on August 3 and the general election on November 5. The board approved 10% paper ballots for the primary election, and 30% paper ballots for the general election.
On St. Croix, the voting centers for the primary election will be at St. Croix Rotary West Community Center, St. Croix Educational Complex gymnasium, and the David C. Canegata Recreational Center and Sports Complex. The voting centers for the general election will be at Claude O. Markoe Elementary School, SCEC gym, St. Croix Central High School gym, St. Croix Montessori School (old St. Dunstan’s School), and Canegata recreational center.
On St. Thomas, the voting centers for the primary election will be at the University of the Virgin Islands’ Elridge Wilburn Black Sports and Fitness Center, Charlotte Amalie High School Sprung shelter, and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School gym. The voting centers for the general election will be at UVI’s Sports and Fitness Center, CAHS gym, Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, and IEKHS gym.
On St. John, the voting centers for both the primary and general elections will be at the Julius E. Sprauve School and the Guy Benjamin Community Center.
