The Board of Elections is requesting the respective party leadership (Democratic, Republican, ICM) and independent candidates in the 2020 General Election submit a list of names for poll watchers and specify the Vote Center the poll watchers will be assigned to.
For example, in the St. Croix District, there are four Voting Centers, so please specify up to three poll watchers per Voting Center. Note: The respective political parties may appoint three watchers to each Vote Center on a rotating basis, but only one can remain inside at a given time. Independent candidates are allowed one poll watcher per Vote Center based on a sliding schedule for up to two hours each.
The board will provide a listing of watchers per independent candidate based on requests made to the board. It is taking these precautions to limit the number of persons in the Vote Centers and to comply with the Department of Health COVID-19 requirements.
Attached to this press release is a listing of Vote Centers with their respective precincts in the District of St. Croix and District of St. Thomas-St. John. Only territorial candidates (Delegate to Congress and Senator-At-Large) can submit listings for the two districts.
Pursuant to Virgin Islands law, each political party or political body that has nominated candidates in accordance with this law and each nominated independent candidate may appoint three watchers at any general election for each polling place, in which the candidates of such party or body or such independent candidate, are to be voted for.
Such watchers shall serve without expense to the territory. Each candidate for nomination or election at a primary may appoint two watchers in each polling place in which such candidate is to be voted for. All watchers appointed under this section shall be qualified registered voters of the legislative district in which they are authorized to act.
Only one watcher for each candidate at primaries, or for each political party or body or independent candidate at general elections, shall be allowed to remain in the polling place at any one time prior to the close of the polls, and all watchers in the room shall remain outside the enclosed space.
After the close of the polls and while the ballots are being counted, all the watchers shall be permitted to be in the polling place outside the enclosed space. Each watcher shall be provided with a certificate from the district board of elections, stating his/her name and the name of the candidate, political party or body or independent nominee that watcher represents. Watchers shall be required to show their certificates when requested to do so.
Please submit the appointed poll watchers listing no later than 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30, to Administrative Assistant Rolando Huertas II (District of St. Croix) via email at terrell.alexandre@boel.vi.gov and for the St. Thomas-St. John District Administrative Assistant Angel L. Bolques via email at angel.bolques@boel.vi.gov. For further clarification regarding this notice, contact either Administrative Assistant Rolando Huertas II at terrell.alexandre@boel.vi.gov or via phone at 773-1021 or Thomas-St. John District Administrative Assistant Angel L. Bolques at angel.bolques@boel.vi.gov or via phone at 774-3107.
