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Candidates File for Primaries in Record Numbers

Aug. 13, 2008 — The petitions are signed, sealed and delivered — all 154 of them — and the races are on for the 2008 elections.
"Without a doubt, it's inordinate, even on our best day," said Supervisor of Elections John Abramson Jr. on Wednesday. "We have record numbers."
All petitions were turned in by 5 p.m. Tuesday. People are seeking office for more than just the Senate.
"We've never had more near this many candidates for Democratic party offices since I've been here," Abramson said.
The cast of contestants has changed here and there since the candidates began picking up their nominating papers late last month. The primary election is Sept. 13, with the general election following on Nov. 4.
Two former senate presidents — Lorraine Berry and David Jones — picked up their nominating papers but have not filed. Berry said Wednesday that "family considerations" had caused her to change her plans.
"Many people have asked me to run, and I seriously considered it," the 12-term senator said, "but my priorities lie with my family at this time."
Which is not to say she is retiring from the public limelight.
"I may find another way to contribute," she said, without elaborating.
Jones' hat is still in St. Croix's ring. He is running for Democrat Party national committeeman.
The 15 seats in the 28th Legislature are highly contended by 58 hopefuls. Except for Sen. Basil Ottley, the other 14 incumbents want to retain their seats, along with an array of former senators, including a few Constitutional Constitution delegates, some perennial contenders and an assortment of new faces.
Making an initial bid on St. Thomas are Myron Jackson, Democrat; Tregenza A. Roach, no party; and former Bureau of Internal Revenue Director Louis Willis, Democrat. Among former senators running this year are Lilliana Belardo de O'Neal, Republican, St. Croix; Adelbert Bryan, ICM, St. Croix; Craig Barshinger, Democrat, St. Thomas; Stephen Frett, no party, St. Thomas; and Adlah Donastorg, running as a Democrat this year after his failed gubernatorial bid in 2006.
The primary election will decide seven of the eight Democratic St. Thomas candidates and another seven of the 17 St. Croix Democrats. The winners will compete in the Nov. 4 general election against 14 candidates from other political affiliations.
Incumbent Donna M. Christensen is running for her seventh term as delegate to Congress. She is challenged by one-term V.I. Delegate Victor Frazer, also a Democrat. The primary will decide the race, as there are no other candidates. The winner will represent the territory in the 111th Congress.
Fourteen candidates are running for the two seats on the St. Croix Board of Education, among them two high-profile names: Cheryl Francis, wife of Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, and May Adams Cornwall, director of the Waste Management Authority.
Registration to vote in the Sept. 13 primary election ends Thursday. The Election System office on St. Thomas will be open until 7 p.m. through Thursday.
Here are the candidates. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*):
Delegate to Congress
Donna Christensen*
Victor Frazer
28th Legislature
At-large
Democrat
Craig Barshinger
Harry Daniel
Lorelei Monsanto
ICM
Carmen Wesselhoft*
St. Croix District
Democrat
Betina Baker
Sherry Mae Barnes-Morales
Diane Capehart
Juan Figueroa-Serville*
Neville James*
Wayne James
Terrence D. Joseph
Troy Mason
Dwight Nicholson
Steve Nisky
Elizabeth Pichardo
Ronald Russell
Samuel Sanes
Lee Seward Jr.
Michael Springer Jr.
Michael Thurland
James Weber III*
ICM
Adelbert Bryan
Naomi Joseph
George Moore
Terrence Nelson*
Kendall Petersen
Usie Richards*
Republican
Lillana Belardo de O'Neal
Dwain Ford
No Party
Samuel Flemming
Bernard Hamilton
Norman Jn Baptiste*
Gonzalo Rivera
Nellie Rivera-O'Reilly
Iotah Thomas
St. Thomas-St. John District
Democrat
Adlah Donastorg Jr.
Louis Hill*
Myron D. Jackson
Shawn-Michael Malone*
Shirley M. Sadler
Simeon Sprauve
Alvin Williams*
Louis Willis
ICM
Wayne Adams
Liston Davis*
Stedman Hodge Jr.
Republican
Krim Ballentine
No Party
Helen Berry Baker
Dwayne Callwood
Moses Carty Dolores Clendenin
Carlton Dowe*
Stephen Frett
Samuel Harvey
Eleanor Joseph Porter
Tregenza A. Roach
Celestino A. White Sr.*
Lisa Williams
V.I. Board of Education
At-large
Oswin Sewer (Democrat)
St. Croix District
Democrat
May Adams Cornwall
Yvette Edwards
Janis Esannason
Cheryl Francis
Linnea Hector
Winona Hendricks
Shawn Gibson
Terrence C. Joseph
Gary Moore
Carmen Robles
ICM
Mary Moorhead
Nandi Sekou
No Party
Beryl Watson
St. Thomas District
Democrat
Dale Garee
Judy Gomez
Yegin Habtes
Arah Lockhart
Keith Richards
Debra Smith-Watlington
Boards of Elections
St. Croix District
Democrat
Dodson James
Robelto Rios
Richard Schrader Jr.
Republican
Humberto O'Neal
No Party
Anita Davila
Carmen Golden
Lisa Harris-Moorhed
Joseph Stropole
St. Thomas-St. John District
Democrat
Edwardo Carmona Sr.
Lorna Thomas
Orial Webb
ICM
Colette White-Amaro
Republican
Lawrence Boschulte
George Blackhall
No Party
Andre Dorsey
Alecia Wells
Party Offices
Democratic Party
State Chairman
Cecil Benjamin
Emmett Hansen
Dodson James
Luis Morales
Marylyn Stapleton
National Committeeman
David Jones
Glen Smith
Raymond Williams
National Committeewoman
Sonia Boyce
Carol Burke
Jacqueline Heyliger
Barbara Petersen
District Chairman — St. Croix
Alica Barnes
District Chairman — St. John
Barbara Dalmida-Thompson
District Chairman — St. Thomas
Mark Hodge
Delores Thomas
Territorial Committee — at-large
Florine Audain-Hassell
Carol Burke
Dave Davis
Pedro Encarnacion
Daryl George
Omar Henry
Kenn Hobson
Arah Lockhart
Malcolm McGregor
Richard Moman
Luis Morales
Kearney Nichols
Lauretta Petersen
Cedric Prince
Aminah Saleem
Leona Smith
Marylyn Stapleton
Ida White
Ophelia Williams-Jackson
Territorial Committee — St. Croix
Janil Ali
Paul Arnold Sr.
Janet Brow
Lyn Burke
Yvette Edwards
Angeli Ferdschneider
Valencio Jackson
George St. Rose
Ophelia Williams-Jackson
Raymond Williams
Territorial Committee — St. Thomas-St. John
Dwayne Benjamin
Lesley Comissiong
Derek Gabriel
Anthony Green
Mark Hodge
Anthony Merriss
Sandra Thomas-Mason
Angel Turnbull
Julie Woods-Duke
Republican State Chair
Lawrence Boschulte
Herb Schoenbohm
National Committeeman
Holland Redfield II
National Committeewoman
Lilliana Belardo de O'Neal
District Chairman — St. Thomas
Eloi George
Territorial Committee — at-large
April Newland
Territorial Committee — St. Croix
James Bland Jr.
Pattie Martin-Bland
Martin Merick
Patricia Murphy
Tracy Pardo de Zela
ICM
Territorial Committee — St. Thomas-St. John
Kent Daniel
Mario Francis
Stedman Hodge Jr.
Andre Ottley
Jaime Perez
Elma Smith
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