St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – The Elections System of the Virgin Islands wishes to inform the public regarding a recent elevator service interruption at its Lockhart Gardens office resulting from ongoing power outages experienced throughout the Territory.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, a power outage attributed to a generator failure by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) affected operations within the Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center. The disruption impacted the elevator’s ability to function properly and caused the elevator system to enter a safety mode.

During the outage, the elevator service disruption briefly affected one voter. The matter was quickly resolved with assistance from emergency personnel and Lockhart Gardens Property Management Team.

Due to the ongoing and frequent power interruptions affecting the facility, the Elections System was subsequently informed by the Lockhart Gardens Property Management Team that the elevator would be placed out of service pending a comprehensive safety inspection and evaluation by qualified technicians.

To ensure the safety of all visitors, the Elections System immediately posted signage on the elevator doors notifying the public of the service interruption. Additionally, seniors, persons with disabilities, and any individual unable to utilize the stairs were advised to contact the Elections Office directly so that alternative accommodations could be provided to ensure continued access to election related services. An additional Poll worker was also brought in and stationed at the elevator level to assist voters.

Approximately 12:30pm the following day, Lockhart Gardens Property Management Team gave the approval to utilize the elevator but warned it should only operate with WAPA Power and not the generator, until further notice.

The Elections System remains committed to maintaining safe and accessible services for all residents of the Virgin Islands. Staff members continue to work closely with property management officials to monitor the situation.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Virgin Islands Police Department, the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Lockhart Gardens Property Management, and our staff for their swift response and commitment to public safety during this incident.

For additional information or to request accommodations, please contact the Elections System of the Virgin Islands at your district office. In St. Croix (340) 773-1021 and St. Thomas/St. John (340) 774-3107. Visit www.vivote.gov for up to date and accurate election news.