Ida Smith's Congressional Candidacy Restored by Board of Elections After Contentious Meeting

The V.I. Board of Elections during a Wednesday meeting voted in favor of Ida Smith's eligibility to appear on the ballot as a candidate for Delegate to Congress, rejecting an earlier disqualification by Elections Supervisor Caroline Fawkes. During the meeting, the board voted in favor of Smith’s candidacy following a contentious debate, culminating in a 9-4 decision to uphold the opinion of the territory’s attorney general, who earlier opined that Ms. Smith is qualified to be on the ballot. The matter stemmed from an initial determination by Ms. Fawkes, who cited several issues with Ms. Smith’s voter registration and residency, leading to her disqualification. Despite this, Attorney General nominee Gordon Rhea issued a legal opinion affirming Ms. Smith’s eligibility, stating that neither Title 48 of the United States Code nor the House Qualifications Clause in Article 1 of the Constitution barred her from appearing on the ballot. In a letter to Board Chair Alecia Wells, Mr. Rhea cla...