Politics of the United States Virgin Islands

Politics of the United States Virgin Islands
Constitution United States Constitution Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands
Executive Government Governor Albert Bryan Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach Cabinet
Legislature Legislature President of the Legislature Myron D. Jackson
Judiciary Court System Supreme Court District Court Superior Court
Elections Elections Political Parties Democratic Party Independent Citizens Movement Republican Party Political party strength
Divisions Districts and sub-districts Islands St. Croix St. Thomas St. John
Federal relations Federal representation United States House of Representatives Delegate of the U.S. Virgin Islands Stacey Plaskett (D)
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Politics of the United States Virgin Islands takes place in a framework of a

of the executive and the legislature.

Virgin Islands residents are

but not in the House itself. Such delegates can speak on the U.S. House floor, introduce bills and offer amendments but cannot vote during business as the Committee as the Whole or on final passage of legislation. The USVI has been allowed to have non-voting representation since 1972.

Federal representation

Virgin Islands residents can vote fully in all elections if they become a resident of one of the 50 U.S. states. If residents of one of the 50 states become residents of the Virgin Islands, they can no longer vote for President or for voting members of Congress.^[2]

The voting rights of Virgin Islanders have been the subject of litigation. A federal lawsuit was filed in 2011 in the District Court of the Virgin Islands and was subsequently appealed to the Washington, D.C., Circuit Court of Appeals,^[3] to provide Virgin Islanders with the fundamental right to be represented in Congress and vote for U.S. President.^[4] A similar lawsuit was filed in 2020.^[2]

Law

The

The

There have been several attempts at a constitution. The most recent attempt was the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands which passed a proposed constitution in May 2009 but was rejected by Congress in June 2010.

Executive branch

Main office-holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President of the United States	Joe Biden	Democratic	20 January 2021
Governor	Albert Bryan	Democratic	7 January 2019
Lieutenant Governor	Tregenza Roach	Democratic	7 January 2019

The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms.^[13]

Legislative branch

The Virgin Islands's territorial legislature is the 15-member

Political parties and elections

For other political parties, see

Elections in the U.S. Virgin Islands

.

Judicial branch

The U.S. Virgin Islands has a

.

Judges on the District Court are appointed by the President for ten year terms, subject to Senate confirmation. They may serve more than one term. This is a federal court, established in 1936, with jurisdiction over the US Virgin Islands, with diversity jurisdiction and bankruptcy jurisdiction. Appeals of this court's decisions are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. One courthouse is located in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and one is in Christiansted, St. Croix.[15]

Judges of the USVI Supreme Court and Superior Court are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislative body.

Administrative divisions

The US Virgin Islands have no local governments, the

References