Qualifications for Offices
Interested in an elected position?
Below are the requirements for each elected office in the Virgin Islands.
| Office | Citizenship | Age | Residency | Term | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | U.S. | 21 | V.I. 3 years preceding date of election | 2 years | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) 18 VIC § 7 Revised Organic Act (ROA) § 6 (b) |
| Governor & Lt. Governor | U.S. | 30 (at time of office) | V.I. 5 consecutive years preceding election | 4 years | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) 18 VIC § 7 ROA § 11 |
| U.S. House of Representatives | U.S. (7 years prior to date of election) | 25 (on election) | Be an inhabitant of the Virgin Islands | 2 years | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) U.S. Constitution Art. I §2 P.L. 92-271, 92nd Congress 18 VIC § 7 |
| Boards - Education - Elections | U.S. | 21 | V.I. 3 years preceding date of election | 4 years | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) 18 VIC § 2 18 VIC § 7 ROA § 6 (b) & (c) 3 VIC §97 (c) and (d) |
| Delegate to Constitutional Convention | U.S. | 18 | V.I. 3 years preceding date of election | Life of Convention | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) 18 VIC § 7 ROA § 6 (b) U.S. Public Law 94-584 Act 6688 |
Note
| Office | Provision | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| All Offices | Be a Qualified Voter (Loss of franchise by felon; mental incompetents) (a) No inmate of a public or private institution for the insane and no person under the care of a guardian by reason of any mental incapacity shall be entitled to vote. (b) Every person who has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude shall be debarred from voting while serving out his sentence, including any period of incarceration, probation, or parole. (c) The right to vote is automatically restored to every person convicted of a felony upon completion of all the conditions of the person's sentence, including any period of incarceration, probation, parole, or payment of restitution. | 18 VIC § 263 (a)-(c) |
| Senate, Boards, Delegate to Constitutional Convention | Not convicted of a felony OR a crime involving moral turpitude Felon: A sentence of imprisonment for any term of more than one year and less than for life suspends all the civil rights of the person so sentenced, and forfeits all public offices and all private trusts, authority, or power during such imprisonment. Felony: A felony is a crime or offense which is punishable by imprisonment for more than one year. See 18 VIC § 263 (c) Crime of Moral Turpitude. [Legislature; terms of office, qualifications, appointment of electoral officers, immunity, compensation, limitations, general powers, vacancies.] Qualifications of members (b) No person shall be eligible to be a member of the legislature who is not a citizen of the United States, who has not attained the age of twenty-one years, who is not a qualified voter in the Virgin Islands, who has not been a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands for at least three years next preceding the date of his election, or who has been convicted of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude and has not received a pardon restoring his civil rights. | 14 V.I.C. § 91 (2) Chapter 1, Subchapter 1 subsection 2 14 VIC §2(b)(1) Revised Organic Act (ROA) § 6 (b) |
| Senate | No federal, legislative, executive, judicial branch employee eligible Federal employees and persons employed in the legislature, executive or judicial branches of the government of the Virgin Islands shall not be eligible for membership in the legislature. See also 18 VIC § 2 (Unless they take a leave when filing) | Revised Organic Act (ROA) § 6 (b) |
| Senate, Governor & Lt. Governor, U.S. House of Representatives, Boards | Not be a candidate for any other office on the day of Election {Prohibition of dual candidacies} In any general, primary, or special election, no person's name may appear on a ballot as candidate for more than one (1) of the following offices: (1) Governor; (2) Lieutenant Governor; (3) Delegate to Congress;(4) Senator; (5) Board of Education; and (6) Board of Elections. | 18 VIC § 7 |
| Boards | Eligibility and Leave When Filing No person is eligible to be a member of a board unless he meets the same eligibility qualifications for a member of the Legislature, as prescribed in section 6(b) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, except that the final sentence of said section 6(b) does not apply. (applicable to both 4 a. & 4 b.) - 4a. (Board of Education) No employee of the Department of Education or Board of Education is eligible No employee or official of the Department of Education and no employee of the Board of Education may be a candidate for the Board of Education - 4b. ( Elections System Employees) No employee of Elections System is eligible for Board of Elections No employee or official of the office of the Supervisor of Elections and no employee of a Board of Elections may be a candidate for a Board of Elections without taking leave as required by this section, and if elected, may not serve as an employee or official, as the case may be, during his incumbency. | 3 VIC §97 (d) 18 VIC §41 (d) 18 VIC § 2 |
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