Although provisional paper ballots still won’t be an option for V.I. voters in November, Elections Supervisor John Abramson told V.I. senators Wednesday that elections officials would ease restrictions on walk-in absentee ballots.
During the hearing, members of the Financial Services, Infrastructure and Consumer Affairs Committee grilled Abramson about what seemed to be uneven handling of provisional ballots during the primaries. (A provisional ballot is used to record a vote when there is some question regarding a given voter’s eligibility.)
Prior to the Sept. 11 primaries, elections officials held a press conference to inform residents that the provisional ballots were off limits unless voters met certain criteria – such as if the voter’s name didn’t appear on the roster or if elections officers were unable to determine registration status, among others.
However, senators said they received reports after the primaries from constituents who said some were allowed to use the ballots, and some were not. Committee Chairman Sen. Neville James told Abramson that the seeming irregularity with which the provisional ballots were distributed made some feel they were disenfranchised.
Abramson said that 107 of the ballots were issued in the St. Thomas–St. John district, while just three were issued in St. Croix. However, he attributed the difference to decisions made by elections judges who are given some powers of discretion. He said that St. Croix officials may have been more active in taking the steps necessary to verify voters’ identities.
Senators Wednesday also overruled an initial decision from James to not hear testimony from the public, by allowing four of the 20-or-so people gathered in Senate chambers to recount what happened to them on Sept. 11. Three of the four said that either they were denied the paper ballots or knew of someone who was denied.
Senators seemed to agree that Abramson should allow some kind of paper alternative to voters who may be uneasy about using the electronic voting machines.
“I love technology, and I don’t have a strong sense of security about the voting machines, either,” Said Sen. Craig W. Barshinger said.
Abramson told senators that it was too close to the election to make any kind of major change to the voting system, and that using a true paper balloting system would be expensive.
Finally, Abramson told senators that he had called his staff and informed them that the Board of Elections would be relaxing their guidelines as they related to walk-in absentee ballots. He said elections officials had been told to provide the paper ballot to anyone who asked – as long as that person is willing to sign a statement verifying what they say is correct under penalty of perjury.
Voters are usually asked to prove why they are using the ballots, which allow people who need to vote early because they are unable to vote on Election Day. But Abramson said they would be relaxing their policy.
Abramson maintained that he and other election officials did their jobs correctly and to the best of their ability. He told lawmakers that he and other elections officials have taken abuse by simply following election law as it was written.
“I have been called a ‘stinking dirty liar,’” he said. “The elections system does not make law. I am bound … to administer the laws as they are written. This is what they elect you guys for.”
Of three elections officials invited, Abramson was the only one able to attend Wednesday’s hearing. V.I. Board of Elections Chairman Raymond Williams and board member Lorna A.C. Thomas both had prior commitments.
In attendance during Wednesday’s hearing were Sens. Craig W. Barshinger, Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg, Neville James, Wayne A.G. James, Shawn-Michael Malone, Terrence “Positive” Nelson, Usie R. Richards, Nereida “Nellie” Rivera-O’Reilly, Patrick Simeon Sprauve, Celestino A. White and Alvin Williams.
Editor’s Note: In an earlier article published Wednesday night, The Source erroneously reported that provisional ballots would be an option for voters in November. That story has now been replaced with this article. The Source regrets the error.
