Board of Elections member Florine Audain-Hassell announced her resignation Wednesday during the board’s first-quarter regular meeting, citing concerns with repeated disputes over issues she said past boards had already addressed.
Her resignation is effective Thursday, according to a letter she read into the record. Audain-Hassell, who was first elected to the board in 2022, reflected on her tenure and highlighted her participation in meetings, noting that “my participation in all meetings, except for a few instances when I was off island, reflects my steadfast commitment to the electoral process.”
She added that earning her Certified Elections/Registration Administrator certification within two years “not only exemplifies my dedication, but also was designed to set the standard of excellence for the board.”
In the letter, she detailed her work on voter registration efforts, voting machine demonstrations, visits to every voting center on St. Croix and presentations to the Legislature. As personnel committee chair, Audain-Hassell wrote that she advocated “for fair compensation for our supervisors, deputies and our board assistant,” and highlighted the creation of a dedicated human resources financial administration role “for the first time in 60 years.” She also pointed to administrative improvements during her tenure, including efforts to streamline internal forms and procedures.
At the same time, Audain-Hassell raised concerns about the board’s internal dynamics and their potential impact on public trust in the election system, warning that public criticism of the process can erode progress made in recent years. She urged members to focus on innovation and maintaining confidence in the electoral system rather than revisiting “past grievances and issues that past boards have already addressed.”
In a brief phone interview following the meeting, Audain-Hassell said she would like to see members come to meetings prepared and with a clear understanding of election law and their roles as board members, adding that the board should focus on moving its agenda forward even when members disagree.
She concluded her letter by thanking Elections staff and encouraging the board to continue strengthening the system. “I encourage the board to embrace the power to innovate and to uphold the trust of our constituents. Together, we can create an electoral system that the people of the Virgin Islands deserve.”
Following the resignation, officials outlined how the vacant board seat will be filled under Virgin Islands law. Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes said the process is governed by Title 18, Chapter 3, Section 41 of the Virgin Islands Code. “Whenever a vacancy occurs, after the election is certified within 30 days, the candidate who received the next highest vote count in the immediately preceding election will be considered,” Fawkes said. “So that will be the 2024 January election.”
Fawkes explained that the Elections Office will review the official Certification of Elections listing to determine the next eligible candidate. “We will go and look at the certification listing and see who is the next person. Usually, we look at the person’s political party. And if there’s no one in that political party, then you go to the person that has the next highest vote count,” she said.
Once the correct candidate is identified, the Elections Office contacts that person to confirm their willingness to serve. “If they are willing, then we officially prepare a letter for the board chair to sign. Once the board chair signs that letter, the executive assistant for the board will contact the Superior Court to set a date for the swearing-in of that member. Then they attend the next board meeting,” Fawkes explained.
The new member will serve only until the end of Audain-Hassell’s term on Dec. 31. If they wish to continue beyond that, they must run in the next regular election cycle. There will be no special election to fill the seat because it is a board position.
During the meeting, board members also addressed several issues related to election administration and territorial election law. The board agreed to seek additional clarification from Attorney General Gordon Rhea on parts of a recent legal opinion dealing with the role of political parties in primary elections and how party rules interact with Virgin Islands statutes.
In a separate action, the board voted 7–4 to include the statutory primary election date, the first Saturday in August, on its official election calendar. Some members warned that listing the date could lead the public to believe the Elections System will administer a government-run primary, even though funding for such an election has not yet been secured and party-run primaries remain an option.
The board also approved a motion requesting a formal opinion from the attorney general on dual candidacy, asking whether the territory’s prohibition on appearing on the ballot for more than one office in the same election also applies to candidates seeking seats in the Constitutional Convention.
