July 18, 2007 — After canceling last Friday's meeting for lack of a quorum, the joint Board of Elections will hear Harry Daniel's appeal Thursday, officials said.
Daniel, who ran as a St. John candidate in the Constitutional Convention special election, is contesting the results. (See “St. Thomas-St. John Elections Board Cancels Friday’s Joint Meeting.”)
The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday at the board's Sunny Isles office and linked via telephone to the St. Thomas office at Crystal Gade, according to a news release issued Wednesday. The release was signed by joint board vice president Anita Davila, a St. Croix district member.
Following the June 12 special election, Daniel questioned the way the ballot was arranged, claiming it cost him the election. Although Daniel garnered more votes than some St. Thomas candidates, because he was listed as a St. John candidate, his votes were counted separately.
Daniel bases his complaint on what his feels is conflicting instructions to the voters. Instructions posted on the voting machine told voters to elect 11 candidates from St. Thomas and two from St. John. But legislation states that "13 delegates shall be elected from the district of St. Thomas-St. John, provided that not fewer than two delegates shall be residents of St. John."
Despite Daniel's concerns, the St. Thomas-St. John district board certified the election results on June 23. More than two weeks later, on July 10, the board agreed to hold a hearing to review Daniel’s complaint. Again they determined the election was valid and dismissed the complaint.
Daniel countered by requesting a determination by the joint board, which was scheduled for last Friday. A day before the scheduled meeting, however, board chairwoman Alecia Wells announced that a quorum could not be reached.
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