ST. CROIX — The Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands will hold its party office election for St. Thomas district chair on Tuesday, the party announced.
The two candidates are Barbara Petersen, current district chair, and Edgar “Baker” Phillips, former district chair.
After acknowledging and approving candidates who previously circulated nomination petitions, this is the only race remaining to complete the composition of the Territorial Committee, according to the party.
Carol Burke became the party’s state chair when former Democratic State Chair Stedmann Hodge Jr. withdrew his candidacy after serving one term. Since they were the only two running for the position, Burke was sworn in on October 8.
Hodge, one of four certified candidates running for seven available seats as a delegate to the Sixth Constitutional Convention in the St. Thomas/St. John District, said he withdrew from running for the state chair position to prioritize his duties as a delegate if elected. In addition to selecting from among the four certified candidates, voters will also have the option to write in the names of individuals to serve as delegates.
The VI Democratic Party had four other positions that were uncontested leading up to this year’s election. Kevin Rodriquez is national committeeman, Riise Richards is national committeewoman, Ophelia Williams-Jackson is St. Croix district chair, and Abigail Hendricks is St. John district chair.
Burke encouraged registered Democrats to participate in Tuesday’s party office election for St. Thomas district chair.
“While it has been decades since the party conducted these elections, we remain confident that our efforts will be successful,” she said in a statement. “Only registered Democrats may participate, and the Virgin Islands Code and our bylaws guide us.”
Although the Elections System of the Virgin Islands included candidates running for political party offices on the primary election ballot in previous election cycles, the parties are now required to hold their own elections for party offices following a District Court ruling in January. Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes subsequently asked senators during a Committee of the Whole meeting in May to make necessary changes to the unconstitutional laws to allow her office to be able to conduct primary elections.
After Fawkes testified that changes to the law were necessary to allow her office to conduct primary elections, the territory’s Democratic Party took the position that the government was still required to conduct a primary, but the party would have to certify its candidates. The Board of Elections then voted to have the Office of the Supervisor of Elections conduct a primary election for public offices, but not party offices.
When it comes to holding the Democratic Party election for St. Thomas district chair on Tuesday, Burke said the party was especially mindful of voters’ time to shadow the voting sites selected for the general election to achieve full participation.
The Democratic Party will hold its party office election from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Elridge Blake Sports & Fitness Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, Tutu Park Mall, and Charlotte Amalie High School.
