U.S. Virgin Islands election on 3 November fills all 15 Senate seats

Who is running

Dozens of candidates are standing for the 15 seats. In the St. Thomas-St. John district alone, 23 candidates are on the ballot for seven seats, and six sitting senators from that district are seeking re-election, according to the St. Croix Source, a local newspaper.

The Democratic Party, which holds most seats, chose its candidates in a primary on 1 August. In St. Croix, Senator Kurt Vialet led with 3,698 votes. In St. Thomas-St. John, Senator Avery L. Lewis led with 2,897 votes.

How the vote works

The Legislature of the Virgin Islands has a single chamber of 15 senators, elected for two years. Each voter in St. Croix and in St. Thomas-St. John chooses up to seven candidates, and the seven with the most votes in each district win. One more senator is elected at large across the territory and must live on St. John. A majority is 8 seats.

On the same day voters also elect a governor and the territory's non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Voters may cast their ballot at any voting center in their district.

How the race got here

In the outgoing 36th Legislature, sworn in on 13 January 2025, Democrats hold 12 seats and independents three. Senate President Milton E. Potter and Senator Novelle Francis are not seeking re-election: both stood for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary.

In that primary on 1 August, Stacey E. Plaskett won the nomination for governor with 4,742 votes, with Milton E. Potter as running mate. Janelle K. Sarauw won the nomination for delegate with 5,167 votes. Early voting runs from 16 to 31 October.

What happens next

1. Jan 13202536th Legislature sworn in
2. Aug 1Democratic primary
3. Oct 16Early voting begins
4. Oct 31Early voting ends
5. Nov 3Election day
6. Dec 31Term of the 36th Legislature ends

Voting centers were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time at the primary. After the polls close on 3 November, the Elections System of the Virgin Islands, the territory's electoral authority, publishes the results. The term of the 36th Legislature ends on 31 December 2026, and the senators elected on 3 November form the 37th Legislature.