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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Election Day Is Legal Holiday

Government offices will be closed and a legal holiday in effect Tuesday because of the run-off election for governor, Government House reminded residents in a news release.

Gubernatorial candidates Donna Christensen and Kenneth Mapp were the two top finishers in the race, but neither garnered 50 percent of the total in the five-candidate field. Under the Virgin Islands Code, that necessitates a runoff, which will be held Tuesday.

The last gubernatorial runoff was Nov. 7, 2006, when John deJongh Jr. defeated Mapp.

Government House’s statement, released Sunday, pointed out that Title 18 of the Virgin Islands Code provides that elections days are legal holidays and spells out specific provisions that provide for all employees who are required to work on those days be entitled to two hours off from their jobs without loss of pay so they can vote. The law requires the employee to give the employer advance notice of their intent to take the time for that purpose.

Title 18, Chapter 1, section 3 of the code says, in part, "All employees who are required to work on those days shall be entitled to two hours off from their jobs without loss of pay to vote in all primaries and elections, provided that they notify their employers before such primaries or elections of their intention to be absent for the purpose of voting,"

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