United States Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention election, 2007

The 2007 United States Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention election was an election to the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the United States Virgin Islands on 12 June 2007. The convention was the fifth attempt to give the United States territory its own constitution; previous constitutional conventions had been elected (without a constitution being adopted) in 1964, 1971, 1977 and 1980.^{[1] [2]}.

There were thirty delegates elected — fifteen from Saint Croix, twelve from Saint Thomas, and three from Saint John. Two delegates from each of those districts were elected by voters on a territory-wide basis.

Election Results

Process

The delegates had until May 31, 2009 to deliberate on a constitution proposal. The convention did not start work in July 2007, as planned, due to delays over legal challenges to the poll; it finally convened on 29 October 2007.^{[3] [4]}

It should then (after review periods by the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, the President of the United States and the United States Congress) be put to a referendum, possibly in November 2010.

If the people of the Virgin Islands do not ratify a constitution, they will continue to be governed by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, which was passed by the United States Congress. It is a federal law, meaning the people of the Virgin Islands cannot amend it themselves.^[2]

References

External links

• Election results
• Constitutional Conventions in the United States Virgin Islands
• Official timeline of the Fifth Constitutional Convention
• Information and stories about the Fifth Constitutional Convention from former Virgin Islands Daily News reporter Megan Poinski