Democratic Party of the United States Virgin Islands | |
---|---|
Chairperson | Carol Burke |
Governor | Albert Bryan |
Lieutenant Governor | Tregenza Roach |
Legislature President | Novelle Francis |
U.S. House Delegate | Stacey Plaskett |
Founded | 1936 [1] |
Membership | 20,102 (2024) |
Ideology | Modern liberalism |
National affiliation | Democratic Party |
Colors | Blue |
Legislature of the Virgin Islands | 11 / 15 |
U.S. House of Representatives | 1 / 1 |
Election symbol | |
The Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands is a political party in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is affiliated with the Democratic Party at the nationwide level. It won the gubernatorial election of 2022 when the incumbent Democratic governor Albert Bryan was elected with 56 percent of the vote. In the last lesiglative election in November 2022, the party won 11 out of 15 seats in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands. Out of 30,000 active registered voters in the U.S. Virgin Islands, approximately 20,000 voters are registered Democrats. [2]
According to political scientist Malik Sekou of the University of the Virgin Islands, the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands is the strongest party in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the other significant parties (Independent Citizens Movement and the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands) failing to be competitive in gubernatorial elections for over three decades. [3] Politicians affiliated with the party have dominated the legislature for the last 30 years, served as governors for 25 years out of 33 years from 1987 to 2020, and served as the Delegate to Congress 29 years out of 33 years during the same span. [3]
While the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands was formed after the granting of universal suffrage in 1936, it wasn't until 1952 that the party started officially sponsoring candidates for local elections. After the passage of the Election Code of 1962, the party was officially recognized by the territory, and became formally affiliated with the national Democratic party. [1]
After the Revised Organic Act of 1954 allowed the Virgin Islands to elect its own legislature, the party quickly gained a monopoly over legislative power. Since 1954, an separate, unorganized faction of the party called the Unity Party, (also called the Mortar and Pestle Democrats) had existed and won seats in elections, winning a majority in 1962.
In 1963, according to district judge Walter A. Gordon, "the Unity Party, through a fraudulent, collusive and conspiratorial scheme attempted and was successful in taking over the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands." The Unity Party voted to change their names to the Virgin Islands Unity-Democratic Party, to imply an affiliation with the national Democratic Party, and circulated a petition among its members to register as the as the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands, and then voted itself out of existence and started using the name of the Democratic Party.
Unity Party members then successfully gained a majority of seats on the original Democratic Party's territorial committee, and consolidated power by expelling existing Democratic Party members (or Donkey Democrats) and consolidating Unity Party control. [4]
In Alexander V. Todman in 1964, the District Court of the United States Virgin Islands declared the takeover null and void and affirmed the validity of the original leadership of the Democratic Party.158-1963. (United States District Court, Virgin Islands, D. St. Thomas and St. John.17 July 1964).
In 1968, Cyril King and other liberals unhappy with the takeover of Democratic Party formed a third party, the Independent Citizens Movement. It elected King governor in 1974. While most of the party's leaders eventually came back to the Democrats, the ICM still remains an important third party to this day. [1]
Year | Gubernatorial vote | House vote | Legislative seats |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | No election held | 1st (10,397) 73.39 / 100 | 12 / 15 |
2022 | 1st (12,157) 56.1 / 100 | 1st (16,354) 98.7 / 100 | 11 / 15 |
2020 | No election held | 1st (15,470) 88.1 / 100 | 10 / 15 |
2018 | 1st (12,677) 55.0 / 100 | 1st (16,341) 98.4 / 100 | 13 / 15 |
2016 | No election held | 1st (14,531) 97.5 / 100 | 11 / 15 |
2014 | 2nd (8,573) 35.9 / 100 | 1st (21,224) 90.7 / 100 | 11 / 15 |
2012 | No election held | 1st (11,512) 60.1 / 100 | 12 / 15 |
2010 | 1st (17,535) 56.3 / 100 | 1st (18,584) 71.2 / 100 | 10 / 15 |
The Republican Party in the Virgin Islands is a political party in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is affiliated with the Republican Party at the national level.
The 2005 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 5 November 2005. Voters in the Northern Mariana Islands voted for the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives, attorney general, 6 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, all eighteen seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, 3 mayors, seats for the municipal council, seats for the board of education, 2 justices, and a judges. There was also a referendum on calling a Constitutional Convention, which was approved by voters.
The results of elections in the state of New York have tended to be more Democratic-leaning than in most of the United States, with in recent decades a solid majority of Democratic voters, concentrated in New York City and some of its suburbs, including Westchester County, Rockland County and Long Island's Nassau county, and in the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Ithaca.
The Nebraska Democratic Party (NDP) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Nebraska. Over 700 Democrats are elected across the state of Nebraska. Jane Kleeb is the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and also serves as the Midwest Chair of the Association of State Democratic Committees.
The Democratic Party of Oregon is the Oregon affiliate of the Democratic Party. The State Central Committee, made up of two delegates elected from each of Oregon's 36 counties and one additional delegate for every 15,000 registered Democrats, is the main authoritative body of the party. The party has 17 special group caucuses which also each have representation on the State Central Committee.
The Maine Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Maine.
Elections in the U.S. state of New Hampshire are held at national, state and local level. The state holds the first presidential primary in the national cycle. Elections for a range of state positions coincide with biennial elections for the House of Representatives.
The 2010 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, in the middle of Democratic President Barack Obama's first term. Republicans ended unified Democratic control of Congress and the presidency by winning a majority in the House of Representatives and gained seats in the Senate despite Democrats holding Senate control.
Elections in Wisconsin are held to fill various local, state, and federal seats. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time.
Elections in Vermont are authorized under Chapter II of the Vermont State Constitution, articles 43–49, which establishes elections for the state level officers, cabinet, and legislature. Articles 50–53 establish the election of county-level officers.
The 2010 U.S. Virgin Islands gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010, and won by incumbent Democratic Governor John de Jongh. De Jongh was elected to his first term in 2006 with 56% of the vote over Kenneth Mapp.
The 2012 United States elections took place on November 6, 2012. Democratic President Barack Obama won reelection to a second term and the Democrats gained seats in both chambers of Congress, retaining control of the Senate even though the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives. As of 2024, this is the most recent election cycle in which neither the presidency nor a chamber of Congress changed partisan control, and the last time that the party that won the presidency simultaneously gained seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Various kinds of elections in Connecticut occurs annually in each of the state's cities and towns, the exact type of which is dependent on the year. Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered ones. The office of the Connecticut Secretary of State oversees the election process, including voting and vote counting. In a 2020 study, Connecticut was ranked as the 20th easiest state for citizens to vote in.
Malik Sekou is an academic from the United States Virgin Islands. He is a professor and chairman of the Department of history, social science and political science at the University of the Virgin Islands. Sekou was chosen by Independent gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Mapp as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
The United States Virgin Islands general election was held on November 2, 2010. Voters chose the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, the non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives and all fifteen seats in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands. The election coincided with the 2010 United States general election.
The 2014 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, in the middle of Democratic President Barack Obama's second term. A typical six-year itch midterm election suffered by most second-term presidents, this election saw the Republican Party retaining control of the House of Representatives and winning control of the Senate, while furthering their gains in the governorships and state legislatures. Because of these Republican gains, the election was commonly cited as a "red wave" election.
Some type of election in Idaho occurs annually in each of the state's cities and towns, the exact type of which is dependent on the year. Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years.
Elections in Alabama are authorized under the Alabama State Constitution, which establishes elections for the state level officers, cabinet, and legislature, and the election of county-level officers, including members of school boards.
The 2016 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Republican nominee Donald Trump defeated Democratic former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, while Republicans retained control of Congress. This marked the first time Republicans won or held unified control of the presidency and Congress since 2004, and would not do so again until 2024.
The 2018 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. These midterm elections occurred during Incumbent Republican president Donald Trump's first term. Although the Republican Party increased its majority in the Senate, unified Republican control of Congress and the White House was brought to an end when the Democratic Party won control of the House of Representatives in what was widely characterized as a "blue wave" election as Democrats also gained governorships, other statewide offices, and state legislative chambers.