Politics of the United States Virgin Islands

United States Virgin Islands
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of the United States Virgin Islands
Constitution United States Constitution Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands
Executive Government Governor Kenneth Mapp Lieutenant Governor Osbert Potter Cabinet
Legislature Legislature President of the Legislature Neville James
Judiciary Court System Supreme Court District Court Superior Court
Elections Elections Political Parties Democratic Party Independent Citizens Movement Republican Party Political party strength
Divisions Districts and sub-districts Islands St. Croix St. Thomas St. John
Federal Relations Federal representation United States House of Representatives Delegate of the U.S. Virgin Islands Stacey Plaskett (D)
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Politics of the United States Virgin Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic dependency, whereby the Governor is the head of the local government, and of a multi-party system. The United States Virgin Islands are an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the United States Department of the Interior. Executive power is exercised by the local government of the Virgin Islands. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Virgin Islands residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in United States presidential election and cannot elect voting members of Congress. However, in the U.S. House of Representatives, they are represented by a delegate, who can vote in congressional committees but not in the House itself. Virgin Islands residents can vote fully in all elections if they become a resident of one of the 50 U.S. states, while residents of one of the 50 states who become residents of the Virgin Islands can no longer vote for President or for voting members of Congress.

A federal lawsuit since 2011 in the District Court of the Virgin Islands and now before the Washington, D.C., Circuit Court is currently^[1] pending to provide Virgin Islanders with the fundamental right to be represented in Congress and vote for U.S. President.^[2] The federal case is Civil No. 3:11-cv-110, Charles v. U.S. Federal Elections Commission.^[3] A similar case was filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands against the local Board of Elections.^[4] The cases allege it was racial discrimination present in an all-white and segregated Congress of 1917 that was the impetus to deny the right to vote to a majority non-white constituency.^[5] The local case is also pending a decision.

Law

The Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of 1954 ^[6] is the current Organic Act defining the government of the United States Virgin Islands, which were acquired by the United States through the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of 1916. It replaced the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of 1936^[7] and earlier temporary provisions.^[8]

It was subsequently amended in 1958 to prohibit political or religious tests, but required a loyalty oath as qualification to any office or public trust.^[9] The Virgin Islands Elective Governor Act ^[10] made the Governor an elected office,^[11] and further amendments in 1984 removed the right to indictment for certain crimes and the jurisdiction of the admiralty courts.^[12]

There have been several attempts at a constitution. The most recent attempt was the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands which passed a proposed constitution in May 2009 but was rejected by Congress in June 2010.

Executive branch

The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms.

Territorial Cabinet

Legislative branch

The Virgin Islands's territorial legislature is the 15-member Legislature of the Virgin Islands. The body is unicameral and comprises seven Senators from the district of Saint Croix, seven Senators from the district of Saint Thomas and Saint John, and one Senator at-large (who must be a resident of Saint John). They are elected for a two-year term to the territorial legislature.

Political parties and elections

Judicial branch

The U.S. Virgin Islands has a District Court, a Supreme Court and a Superior Court. Judges on the District Court are appointed by the President for ten year terms. Judges on the Supreme Court and Superior Court are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislative body.

Administrative divisions

There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas.

References

Territory of United States Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie (capital) Topics Bibliography Demographics Economy Geography History Telecommunications Transportation Visitor attractions Government Congressional Delegates Elections Governors Politics Senators Cities Anna's Retreat Charlotte Amalie Charlotte Amalie West Christiansted Cruz Bay Frederiksted Islands Saint Croix Saint John Saint Thomas Water Island Other Parks Buck Island Reef NM Christiansted NHS Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM Virgin Islands NP