Updated Feb. 10, 2025 | 11 p.m.
Elections Supervisor Caroline Fawkes responded Monday night to concerns from poll workers about a lack of communication regarding delayed payments, emphasizing that the Elections System of the Virgin Islands (ESVI) has kept those affected informed. She explained that deputies and judges were responsible for notifying staff about the delays, and vendors seeking updates were directed to her office. While it is not the supervisor’s role to individually contact 200 workers, Fawkes said ESVI followed established communication protocols to ensure everyone was aware of the situation.
Fawkes reiterated that some election workers received payments while others are still waiting due to the gradual processing of requisitions. She explained that a single staff member cannot input 100 requisitions at once, and approvals are made at different intervals depending on available funding. Additionally, election officials were notified as early as October during training sessions that payments could be delayed. Despite these challenges, she said the Elections Office does not control the release of funds, which is handled by the Department of Finance.
Internal emails between ESVI and vendors do show updates sent to many of those awaiting payment, with one vendor acknowledging the effort to keep them “informed and reassured,” though Fawkes did say emails or texts could be missed at any given time. A December 2024 email from Deputy Supervisor Terrell Alexandre also stated that ESVI was working with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to secure the necessary allotments to process outstanding payments. Fawkes said Monday that Elections remains committed to working with Finance officials to resolve the issue.
According to Fawkes, outstanding check payments in the St. Croix district total 73, while 75 remain on St. Thomas-St. John, for a total of 145 checks still left to be issued.
Finance Commissioner Kevin McCurdy did not return calls from the Source Monday for comment.
February 9, 2025
Poll workers who staffed the November 2024 General Election have yet to receive full payment for their work, with some still awaiting funds more than three months later. Frustrated by the lack of communication, several workers have reached out to the media, seeking clarity on when they will be paid and why they were not notified earlier about the delays.
Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes confirmed to the Source that while $400,000 was allocated for the election, not all payments can be released until the Finance Department has the necessary funds. Each poll worker is classified as an independent vendor with a unique vendor number, and while some have been paid, others remain in limbo, she said.
“I know they were hoping that since it’s tax time, more revenues would be coming in between January and April,” Fawkes said, noting that she has been in regular contact with senators and has been advocating for a resolution within the Office of Management and Budget and Finance for the past three months. Cash flow remains tight, and poll workers are in line alongside other vendors awaiting payment, she added.
“This is the worst I’ve ever seen during an election cycle,” Fawkes added, stating that payments have been processed but still require final release from the Finance Department.
Meanwhile, members of the Board of Elections have also been contacted by concerned workers. In a letter sent last week, one poll worker detailed the long hours and demanding conditions of the job, writing, “Poll workers are made to arrive at 5 a.m. and stay on-site with no breaks, working with hundreds of voters until polls close at 6 p.m. They then remain until the judge leaves, which can take up to two additional hours. How could the supervisor of Elections not ensure that poll workers were paid for their time and hard work within 90 days?”
Many of those still waiting for payment are retirees who rely on the extra income to cover living expenses, according to one worker who contacted the Source Friday. Several workers also said that beyond the financial strain, they were disappointed by the lack of communication from election officials.
Financial Constraints and Outstanding Vendor Payments
In his State of the Territory Address on Jan. 27, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. acknowledged the government’s financial struggles, including more than $50 million owed to vendors. He announced the establishment of a $50 million line of credit to help manage the territory’s cash flow and vendor obligations, noting that $25 million had already been used to reduce outstanding debts.
Whether the revenue picture has improved remains unclear as officials contacted over the weekend said there were no new updates regarding vendor payments. Additionally, a review of the Finance Department’s transparency website found that detailed information on outstanding vendor payments is not readily available.
The most recent audited financial statements for the government of the Virgin Islands cover the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2021, and were published in March 2024. The Office of Management and Budget’s 2023 Annual Revenue and Expenditure Report, the last posted, indicated overall revenue increases but also did not specify the status of vendor payments.
Meanwhile, the USVI Open Budget website provides a transparent breakdown of government revenue and expenditures, updated weekly. However, the site does not show a real-time breakdown of outstanding vendor payments and the most recent publicly available data primarily covers prior fiscal years.
Officials have recommended contacting Finance directly for the most updated numbers.
