Dear Source:
An open letter to the Board of Elections of the U.S.V.I.
After spending time Saturday at Tutu Park Mall getting to meet a few candidates running in the Primary election, signing a petition asking for more polling places to be open on Election Day, and asking questions that no one seemed to have answers for, let me ask again in this public forum…. Where do I vote in the Primary Election in St. Thomas? and is the Board of Elections deliberately trying to confuse the St. Thomas voter?
I am a registered voter living in Fortuna. I have voted in the past at Cancryn School and Kirwan Terrace School. No one seems to be able to tell me where I will vote in the Primary on September 9.
Does the old guard of the Democratic Party have so much power that they can actually manipulate the Board of Elections into CLOSING POLL STATIONS in St. Thomas? Are some of the candidates running for Government House so insecure about their own merits and qualifications (or lack thereof) to get elected that they have to make sure St Croix's polling stations all remain open to acquire more Crucian votes while CLOSING poll stations in St Thomas and CONFUSING the Thomian VOTERS on where to vote? Is this an attempt to dilute the votes that may not go the way of the STATUS QUO? This kind of action sounds to me like past practices in the states of changing districts, poll sites and voter requirements in order to hold certain sections of the voting populace down…could this be happening in St. Thomas now by a Board of Elections that should be completely UNBIASED?
Voting is a RIGHT, a privilege and an OBLIGATION of the people in a free society. Intelligence and integrity are the qualities we look for in our leaders, we all know that MORE OF SAME will dig us deeper into the hole called greed and abuse. It is the MANDATE of the Board of Elections to make voting as accessible to all voters as possible. We can only change the morass we are treading in if we allow the VOTERS to PROCESS CHANGE.
Please give the voters of the St Thomas- St John District clear-cut answers to these questions this coming week. It is total dereliction of duty by the Board of Elections to continue with this game of confusion. If it is a matter of finances, let us know how we voters can help? Do you need more volunteers to work the polls? It seems that by closing poll stations that the Board of Elections is setting the stage to INVALIDATE the Election if the results don't go their way. Then what? Do we continue with this game until the USUAL POLITICIANS and government administrators get the results they want?
I also have asked REPEATEDLY; is this a DEMOCRATIC PARTY ONLY PRIMARY? Am I missing something? Will there be three parties represented in this Primary? Will candidates that fail in this Primary be able to then place themselves on the General Election Ballot? With a keen desire to be informed and strong sense of responsibility about voting, I feel that unbiased Election information is strongly lacking.
If you are not registered to vote please do it by August 10, (can we please publish a MAP showing where the voter registration office is, what hours you are open and what is required to register? I've lived here for 14 years and still cannot adequately explain where the registration office is.)
Our vote in the Primary Election on Saturday September 9 may be more CRUCIAL than the General Election if we want to truly see a Government of the people, for the people, by the people. We come from generations of citizens that have died for our right to vote and express ourselves at the polls, and many more that are facing the ultimate challenge now to help keep those rights secure. We cannot squander their efforts. I'll be the first one to ask you if you voted if I hear you moan and groan about how things are. WE have the power to be part of the PROCESS only when we DO VOTE.
Jane Higgins
St. Thomas
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