Politics of the United States Virgin Islands
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| United States Virgin Islands |
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Politics of the United States Virgin Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic dependency, whereby the Governor is the head of the local government, and of a multi-party system. The United States Virgin Islands are an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Executive power is exercised by the government. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Even though they are U.S. citizens, people living in the Virgin Islands cannot vote in U.S. Presidential elections and they cannot elect voting representatives to the United States Senate or House of Representatives, they are represented by a non-voting delegate in the U.S. House. They can, however, vote fully in all elections if they become resident in one of the fifty states.
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[edit] Executive branch
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| President of the United States | George W. Bush | Republican | 20 January 2001 |
| Governor | John de Jongh | Democrat | 1 January 2007 |
The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms.
[edit] Legislative branch
The Virgin Islands have a unicameral Legislature. Fifteen senators -- seven from the district of Saint Croix, seven from the district of Saint Thomas and Saint John, and one senator at-large (who must be a resident of Saint John) -- are elected for a two-year term to the territorial legislature. As with all state and territorial legislatures, it has the power the institute budgets and override gubernatorial vetoes with a majority of representatives in favor. At the national level, the U.S. Virgin Islands elects a delegate to the U.S. Congress. However, the elected delegate while able to vote in committee cannot participate in floor votes.
[edit] Political parties and elections
| Candidates | Votes 1st round |
% | Votes 2nd round |
% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John de Jongh - Democratic Party | 15,914 | 49.33% | 16,644 | 57.30% |
| Kenneth Mapp - Independent | 8,756 | 27.14% | 12,402 | 42.70% |
| Adlah Donastorg - Independent | 7,580 | 23.49% | - | - |
| Write In | 13 | 0.04% | - | - |
| Total | 32,263 | 100.00% | 29,046 | 100.00% |
| Source: Electoral System of the Virgin Islands [1], [2] | ||||
| Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands | . | 10 | |
| Independent Citizens Movement | . | 4 | |
| Non-partisans | 1 | ||
| Total (turnout %) | 15 | ||
| Source: WSTA Lucky 13 Radio | |||
The Virgin Islands elects one non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006); results: Donna M. Christian-Christensen (Democrat) 62%, Warren B. Mosler (Independent) 37%,
[edit] Judicial branch
The U.S. Virgin Islands has a District Court, a Supreme Court and a Superior Court. Judges on the District Court are appointed by the President and Judges on the Supreme Court and Superior Court are appointed by the governor.
[edit] Administrative divisions
There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas
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