Politics

Democratic delegate candidates sparred over the rum cover-over, federal priorities and leadership styles during a spirited debate Thursday night on St. Croix, where policy disagreements and personal exchanges highlighted the increasingly competitive race ahead of the Aug. 1 primary.

It has come to our attention that statements circulated by an independent labor coalition —referencing a selection process involving straw polls, online voting, candidate interviews, and debate reviews — has created the misleading impression that all union workers across the territory, including those under the AFL-CIO umbrella, participated in or sanctioned these political decisions.

WATCH: What happens when one candidate sits down with 20 Virgin Islanders from different backgrounds, professions and generations for an unscripted conversation? In the premiere of Decision 2026: 20v1, Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett answers questions from community members on the issues shaping the future of the territory—without scripts, moderators or prepared speeches.

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. is calling for fewer barriers to ballot access as Brett "Mac" McClafferty asks a federal court to restore his congressional candidacy. The governor's comments came days after the Justice Department declined his request for a legal opinion on the Elections System's decision to disqualify McClafferty.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Area Labor Federation, a coalition representing approximately 4,000 workers across the territory, has selected Delegate Stacey Plaskett as its choice for the Democratic gubernatorial ticket after a poll conducted following the Democratic gubernatorial debate on June 26.

Ten Democratic candidates in the St. Croix District's Senate race laid out competing visions for the territory Tuesday night, tackling everything from government accountability and affordability to health care, education and public safety during a two-hour forum ahead of the primary election.

The Virgin Islands Board of Elections debated candidate qualifications, residency requirements, and nomination petition procedures during a Monday emergency meeting that highlighted ongoing disputes surrounding the 2026 election cycle. The meeting was a continuation of Friday's board meeting, which was recessed for lack of a quorum. 

The Plaskett-Potter campaign is calling for urgent, decisive action in response to the devastating power outage that has left the residents of St. Thomas and St. John without electricity for more than 48 hours. This crisis is not an isolated incident; it is the latest chapter in a long, painful story of energy mismanagement that the people of the Virgin Islands can no longer afford to accept.

The primary ballot order is set for incumbents, first-time candidates and returning aspirants hoping to be the Virgin Islands’ next delegate to Congress, governor, senator or board member overseeing the territory’s elections or schools. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 1. 

The 2026 election field is already shifting, just days after filing closed, as Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes said several aspirants have been disqualified for failing to meet nomination requirements under Virgin Islands law.

Election season is here but how effective are political parties in the USVI? Are they vetting candidates, building coherent policy platforms, and helping produce good governance — or do they need major reform?

An estimated 27,491 registered voters in our territory did not participate in recent elections.

Nine gubernatorial tickets, 10 candidates for Delegate to Congress, and 57 legislative hopefuls across both districts: Tuesday’s filing deadline cemented one of the territory’s busiest election cycles in years, closing nomination papers and locking in crowded fields stretching from Government House and Congress to the Legislature, Boards of Elections and Education, and beyond.

Virgin Islanders have one week left to tell government officials what they think of a glowing 30-foot-long billboard proposed for the Weymouth Rhymer Highway in St. Thomas. In addition, local politicians needs to make sure their campaign ads are not posted in the territory’s historic districts, officials warned Tuesday.

Attorney General Gordon Rhea has concluded that Brett “Mac” McClafferty is ineligible to serve in the Virgin Islands Legislature, citing felony convictions and crimes involving moral turpitude tied to Ohio cases dating back nearly a decade. The opinion arrives as McClafferty shifts his political focus toward a possible run for Delegate to Congress while facing separate fraud charges in the Virgin Islands.

Brett “Mac” McClafferty, who is running for delegate to Congress while free on bail on grand larceny charges, filed an emergency motion Monday in V.I. Superior Court on St. Thomas, seeking permission to travel to St. Croix to meet with a landlord for a possible campaign headquarters.

A federal judge Thursday temporarily halted the exclusion of candidates from primary ballots following a settlement agreement between the V.I. Democratic Party and the Elections System, its supervisor and the Board of Elections chairman.  

A second gubernatorial ticket officially entered the 2026 race Thursday, as Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach and Sen. Novelle E. Francis Jr. submitted nomination papers at the V.I. Elections System office on St. Thomas ahead of the May 19 filing deadline. Their filing comes as election activity continues to ramp up across the territory, with candidates seeking offices ranging from governor and delegate to the Legislature, Board of Education, and Board of Elections formally entering the race in both districts.

After weeks of speculation, petition pickups, and growing candidate lists across both districts, the 2026 election cycle officially moved into filing season Tuesday as candidates began submitting nomination papers for public office throughout the territory.

The Elections System of the Virgin Islands announces that Supervisor of Elections Caroline F. Fawkes has been elected to serve as the Regional Chair for Region 6.