ST. CROIX — Stephen “Smokey” Frett and his prospective running mate, Derek Bermudez, have hit a critical blockade in their effort to run as independents in the 2026 gubernatorial race.
Frett and Bermudez have both been disqualified from running for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, in the general election because Bermudez is not a registered voter in the Virgin Islands — a requirement dictated by federal law.
“After conducting the research on Mr. ‘Smokey’ Frett and Derek Bermudez’s nomination papers that they submitted at the deadline, it was determined that Mr. Bermudez is not a registered voter in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” St. Croix Deputy Supervisor of Elections Terrell Alexandre said on Tuesday.
Frett declined to comment when reached on Tuesday, indicating he plans to appeal his disqualification to the Board of Elections. However, Alexandre said there is nothing either aspirant can do to cure their disqualifications.
“There is no cure for having somebody who is not a registered voter,” Alexandre said.
The disqualification caps a difficult month for Bermudez, 48, who is currently fitted with a GPS monitor in Jacksonville, Florida, following a domestic violence-related arrest just days before he petitioned the Florida courts for permission to travel to the territory to campaign.
Frett, a former senator for the St. Thomas/St. John District, and Bermudez had recently filed nomination petitions to enter the gubernatorial race as independent candidates. However, Bermudez failed to meet the requirement outlined in Section 11 of the Revised Organic Act of 1954 that a candidate for election to the office of governor or lieutenant governor must be an eligible voter in the territory.
In addition to being disqualified, Bermudez is facing legal issues in Duval County, Florida. A native Virgin Islander currently residing in Jacksonville, Bermudez was arrested on May 11 for allegedly violating an active injunction for protection against domestic violence filed by his ex-wife. The injunction strictly prohibits him from coming within 100 feet of her vehicle at any time.
According to police reports, Bermudez is accused of following his ex-wife’s vehicle for approximately 45 minutes. When pulled over by law enforcement, Bermudez claimed he was upset because she had picked up their 21-year-old son from his house and stated he was attempting to get his son back. However, his ex-wife told police that she had picked up their son from a public bus stop near Bermudez’s residence. A records check by officers revealed both the active domestic violence injunction and an outstanding local arrest warrant. He was taken into custody without incident.
Court records show that on May 13, Bermudez signed a no-contact order acknowledging he is barred from any contact with his ex-wife. He was subsequently released on his own recognizance on May 14 under the condition of GPS monitoring and an agreement to return to court at 9 a.m. on June 10.
Despite his detention and monitoring, Bermudez attempted to salvage his political bid. On May 20, he filed a motion in the Circuit Court for Duval County seeking a modification of his release conditions to allow him to travel to St. Croix to launch his campaign for lieutenant governor.
To support his motion, Bermudez attached screenshots of two messages from Frett, illustrating how highly the former senator valued his prospective running mate. In one general message addressed “to whom it may concern,” Frett introduced himself as a former district senator and gubernatorial candidate, explicitly requesting that the Florida court permit Bermudez to travel so the duo could begin campaigning.
In a Facebook message directly to Bermudez, Frett detailed why he chose the Jacksonville resident to join his ticket. Frett wrote that he had been seeking individuals whose professionalism reflected “the kind of vision and strength the territory needs,” and that Bermudez’s name stood out due to his leadership, community engagement, and grasp of the territory’s challenges and opportunities.
Frett, a one-term senator who was elected in 1996 to serve in the 22nd Legislature, subsequently ran for the Senate every election from 1998 to 2020. He then ran for governor in 2022 with running mate Gregory R. Miller Jr.
As the Elections System of the Virgin Islands continues vetting the nomination petitions submitted by the May 19 deadline, Alexandre said the System met Monday’s deadline to confirm to the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands which Democratic aspirants met the statutory requirements to move forward as candidates in the August 1 primary election. All aspirants must be certified by June 2.
