The Office of the Supervisor of Elections is reminding prospective candidates in the upcoming 2015 General Elections that Friday, May 22 is Nomination Day. 

Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Juliette Penn stated that Nomination Day is the day on which candidates are nominated for candidacy and the public will know who will contest the 2015 General Elections. She said a prospective candidate must be 21 years of age, a registered voter and a BVIslander to be eligible for nomination.

Ms. Penn stated that on the district level, each prospective candidate has to be nominated by two registered voters in the particular district. The candidate must also be accompanied by one witness and pay the nomination fee of $500.  She added that at the territorial level, a candidate may be nominated by two registered voters in the Territory and must also be accompanied by one witness when paying the nomination fee of $500.

The Supervisor of Elections explained the process at the close of Nomination Day at the district level. “If at 4 o’clock, only one person was nominated, that one person would be declared elected for that particular district,” she said, adding, “If there were more than one person, then the returning office prepares for election in that particular district.”

Ms. Penn further stated that if only four persons were nominated at the Territorial-at-Large level, then those four persons would be elected automatically, while if there were more than four persons, then the returning office will prepare for election on the territorial level.

Prospective candidates are reminded of the need to review sections 65 and 66 of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, which outlines the qualifications and disqualifications for elected membership. 

Nomination stations will be open in all districts on May 22 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and then again at 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the following locations: