Elections in the British Virgin Islands are conducted to elect members to the House of Assembly (formerly named the Legislative Council). In the British Virgin Islands elections are not conducted in relation to appointments to either the Executive or Judicial branches of Government, and there are no other publicly elected posts in the British Virgin Islands. Most elections are conducted as general elections, which under the Constitution are required to be held every four years,[1] or as by-elections when a member of the House of Assembly dies or steps down. Since the re-introduction of democracy into the British Virgin Islands in 1950 there have been fifteen general elections, and three recorded by-elections. The last election was held on 25 February 2019.
The British Virgin Islands elects on territorial level to a unicamerallegislature. The House of Assembly has a total of 15 members, 13 of whom are members elected by the public to serve a four-year term, plus two ex-officio non-voting members: the Attorney General and the Speaker of the House. Of the 13 elected members, nine are elected to represent Territorial district seats, and four are elected on a Territory-wide "at-large" basis.
Since 1999 the British Virgin Islands effectively has had a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties. Prior to 1999 the political arena has been much more varied, with sometimes three or even four political parties seriously contesting elections. In the period 1990 to 1995 there was really no other serious political parties providing an alternative to the Virgin Islands Party in the Territory. Historically independent candidates have fared well in British Virgin Islands; in the 1979 general election independent candidates won a greater share of the vote (38.0%) than any political party, and won 4 out of the 9 available seats. However, 1999 general election marked the first time that no independent candidate was elected, and since that date only one person standing as an independent candidate has been elected (Alvin Christopher in 2003 general election).
Elections are held at least every four years. The system of elections is Westminster-style. The parties nominate candidates on a nomination day, then the election is held several weeks later. Government is formed by the leader best able to command a majority in the House.
Qualifications
Qualifications for standing for election
Qualifications to be elected as a member of the House of Assembly are now regulated by article 65 of the Constitution. Broadly speaking this requires that the candidate must be a second generation Belonger, and must either be domiciled in the British Virgin Islands or have completed a period of residence.
In order to be elected as a member of the House, a person must either be a Virgin Islander (as defined) over the age of 21, and otherwise qualified to vote in the Territory. For these purposes a "Virgin Islander" means a Belonger who is either:[2]
a person who was born in the British Virgin Islands to a mother or father who was a British Overseas Territories Citizen (by birth or descent);
a person who was born in the British Virgin Islands to a mother or father who was also a Belonger (by birth or descent); or
a person who was born outside of the British Virgin Islands to a mother or father who was also a Belonger (by birth or descent) provided that one of his or grandparents also belonged to the British Virgin Islands by birth.
A person may also be qualified to stand for election if they were qualified to stand in the 2007 general election under the previous Constitution, regardless of whether or not they have previously stood for election.[3]
However, a person is disqualified from being elected (regardless of where they are born) if they are not domiciled in the British Virgin Islands unless:
in the case of a person who has never been domiciled in the British Virgin Islands, they have resided in the Territory for at least 5 years immediately before the date of their nomination for election; or
in the case of a person who was formerly domiciled in the British Virgin Islands, but have lived outside of the Territory for at least 10 years, they have resided in the Territory for at least 3 years immediately before the date of their nomination for election.
Disqualifications from standing for election
A person is disqualified from being elected as a member of the House if:[4]
they are adjudged to be of unsound mind in any country;
a sentence of death has been imposed upon them, or if they have served a term of imprisonment of at least 12 months within the previous five years;
they are disqualified or suspended under the laws of the British Virgin Islands relating to elections offences; or
they are a party to, or a partner in a firm, or director or manager of company, with any contract with the Government for a public service (unless they have published a notice in the Gazette or other British Virgin Islands newspaper disclosing the nature of the contract and their interest).
Qualifications for voting
Qualifications to be registered as a voter in the British Virgin Islands are now regulated by article 68 of the Constitution. A person is qualified to vote if they are a Belonger aged 18 or older, and are either resident in the British Virgin Islands or are domiciled in the British Virgin Islands and resident in the United States Virgin Islands.
However a person is disqualified from voting if:
they are adjudged to be of unsound mind under British Virgin Islands law;
a sentence of death has been imposed upon them, or if they are serving a term of imprisonment of at least 12 months; or
they are disqualified or suspended under the laws of the British Virgin Islands relating to elections offences.
Political parties in the British Virgin Islands are not generally formed on an ideological basis, and do not normally affiliate themselves with a political school of thought. Political parties do not identify themselves are being on the political right or the political left. Similarly parties do not normally identify themselves with mainstream political movement such as green politics. Although there are no religious parties in the British Virgin Islands, all parties typically identify themselves with Christianity. Most parties campaign on a concepts with close affinity to nationalism, and core competency in relation to administration of Government. Because of the high numbers of economic migrants in the British Virgin Islands, much political campaigning has a xenophobic tinge to it,[5] and often focuses on political patronage for BVIslanders.[6]
Politicians often develop great loyalty from members of their constituencies. Possibly linked to the lack of party ideology, politicians often "cross the floor" to another political party without any discernible effect on their popularity, and a number of leading political figures in the Territory have done this multiple times.
Active parties
There are presently three active political parties in the British Virgin Islands as of April 2022:
There are a number of former political parties in the British Virgin Islands, but only four have ever succeeded in having a candidate elected to the legislature:
The United Party (originally called the BVI United Party), which won general election victories in 1967, 1975 and 1983. Defunct since approximately 2005 by-election.
People's Own Party. Only contested the 1967 general election, winning one seat (Isaac Fonseca) in a seven-seat legislature. Defunct since at least 1971.
Independent People's Movement. Put forward two candidates in the 1990 general election; one was elected (Omar Hodge). No other electoral appearances. Defunct shortly after formation.
Electoral issues
Elections in the British Virgin Islands are rarely conducted on an ideological basis, or even in relation to specific local political issues. Instead, voters are generally asked to choose between two primary parties (and a host of independent candidates) and vote on the basis of a combination of:
party loyalty
competence to govern
political patronage
Most election campaigns are usually conducted on the basis of each candidate who is affiliated with a party pointing to their own successes in government, and criticising the performance of the other party. Each party will typically try to present itself as the party who fights for the "common man", and accuse the other party of financial mismanagement or corruption, as well as alleging that they only act in the best interests of limited pool of well connected wealthy persons. Independent candidates will typically argue that neither party is competent or trustworthy, and that unaffiliated politicians should be elected.
British Virgin Islands politics have become highly polarised since the mid-1990s. Since the 1999 general election, no party won consecutive terms in office until the NDP secured victory in the 2015 general election. Prior to the 1990s independent candidates were a common feature of legislatures in the British Virgin Islands, but more recently politics have become party dominated, and independent candidates and candidates for minority parties are rarely successful.
Prior to 1967 elections were held on a non-party basis. Relatively few records survive in relation to these early elections, and it is possible that they were conducted by straw poll or show of hands rather than by ballot.
In 1950 four legislators were elected to the Legislative Council on a Territory-wide basis. The inaugural legislative council included four elected members: Isaac Glanville Fonseca, Howard R. Penn MBE, Carlton L.E. deCastro and John Charles Brudenell-Bruce MBE.
In 1953 the number of legislators was increased to six, and elections were conducted on the basis of territorial constituencies (with Road Town electing two legislators).
British Virgin Islands general elections (1950 to 1963)[9]
* Term was completed John Charles Brudenell-Bruce (1955-1957)
General elections 1967 to date
In 1967 Ministerial government was introduced into the British Virgin Islands, and candidates organised themselves into political parties. The results of the party contested general elections were as follows:
British Virgin Islands general elections (1967 to date)[12]
* Territorial at-large seats were introduced in 1995. † Unopposed candidates did not have to declare party affiliations. Oliver Cills is recorded as a member of the VI Democratic Party from 1971-1979, but the VI Democratic Party did not contest the 1975 election. ‡ Died in office.
By-elections
There have been three recorded by-elections in the British Virgin Islands to date: the first in 1977 following the death of Austin Henley (VIDP - 2nd District), the second in 1995 following the death of Lavity Stoutt (VIP - 1st District), and the third in 2005 following the death of Paul Wattley (NDP - At-large). In each case except the first the party which had won the seat originally held the seat at the by-election.
Two further by-election were expected but not held. One following the death of the Delores Christopher, but because of the proximity to the 2019 general election it was decided to bring forward the date of the general election instead, and not hold a separate by-election.[13] The second was when Andrew Fahie resigned his seat,[14] and again it was decided not to hold a separate by-election because of the upcoming 2023 general election.
↑ Technically the House of Assembly can only sit for four years before it must be dissolved. However, there is invariably a period of time after a general election before the House first sits, and a period of time after the House is dissolved before the elections, and so in practice the maximum length of time between elections could be around 4 years and 3 months.
↑ Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 65(2).
↑ Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 65(1)(a). Those provisions are generally more relaxed than under the 2007 Constitution, but only persons who were resident in the British Virgin Islands on the date of the 2007 election benefit. This is part of the wider legal principle recognised in the British Virgin Islands that once a person has held a public law right, it should not be removed from them.
↑ Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 66(1).
↑ The first Legislative Council also had four appointed members (Olva Georges, Benjamin Romney, Dr W.T. Joseph and A.T. Franklin (A.T. Franklin was replaced by Norwell Harrigan later in 1950. Norwell Harrigan was replaced by Arthur Caines in 1951. Arthur Caines was replaced by McWelling Todman QC in 1952. ( "BVI election and information results 1950–2011"(PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. p.195. Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 April 2014.)
↑ Particulars of the individual seats are not available for the 1957 general election. It possible to ascertain the list of members elected from the history of members appointed ( "BVI election and information results 1950–2011"(PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp.47–63. Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 April 2014.), but not their seats. However it is reasonable to infer the representatives for the district seats on the basis that elected candidates most likely held the seats which they held in elections before and/or after the 1957 election. Waldo O'Neal is assumed to have been elected in the 5th District by process of elimination.
His Majesty's Government of the Virgin Islands is the democratically elected government of the British Overseas Territory of the British Virgin Islands. It is regulated by the Constitution of the British Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is a political party in the British Virgin Islands. It is presently led by Natalio Wheatley. It is the oldest active political party in the British Virgin Islands, and it has won more general elections (seven) than any other political party in the British Virgin Islands.
The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, until 2007 known as the Legislative Council, has 15 members: 13 directly elected for four-year terms, and two ex officio members.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 20 August 2007. The result was a landslide victory for the opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) over the incumbent National Democratic Party (NDP).
Politics of the British Virgin Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Premier is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The British Virgin Islands are an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The United Nations Committee on Decolonization includes the islands on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. The Constitution of the Islands was introduced in 1971 and amended in 1979, 1982, 1991, 1994, 2000 and 2007. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the House of Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 7 November 2011. The result was a decisive victory for the opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) led by Orlando Smith over the incumbent Virgin Islands Party (VIP), led by Premier Ralph T. O'Neal. No minor parties or independent candidates won any seats.
Julian Fraser is a British Virgin Islander politician who formerly belonged to the opposition Virgin Islands Party in the British Virgin Islands, and in August 2018 formed a new party, Progressives United.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 8 June 2015 to elect members to the House of Assembly. The result was a landslide victory for the incumbent National Democratic Party (NDP) over the opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP). No minor parties or independent candidates won any seats. Unusually, every single incumbent candidate who stood in their original seat was victorious.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 14 April 1967. The election was the first general election after the passing of the new Constitution earlier in the same year, which introduced Ministerial Government into the British Virgin Islands for the first time. Elections under the prior Constitution introduced in 1950 to restore the Legislative Council had merely elected legislators. It is probably fair to say that 1967 marked the introduction of true direct democratic rule in the British Virgin Islands. But, notwithstanding the introduction of Ministerial Government, the resulting Legislative Council is still referred to as the 6th Legislative Council in deference to the five prior Councils elected under the 1950 Constitution.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 27 November 1950, the first after the decision to restore the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands. Four members were elected to the First Legislative Council.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands in 1954 for seats on the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 28 November 1963 for seats on the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands.
Dr Qwominer William Osborne, OBE was a British Virgin Islander politician and physician.
The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the House of Assembly that is not in government.
Isaac Glanville Fonseca was one of the early political figures in the British Virgin Islands around the time of the restoration of democracy in 1950. Fonseca was one of the community leaders who participated in the "march of 1949" and later went on to become one of the longest serving legislators in the British Virgin Islands, winning a total of six general elections before retiring from politics.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 25 February 2019. For the first time, four parties with at least one incumbent member were contesting an election.
Andrew Alturo Fahie is a British Virgin Islands politician who served as Premier of the British Virgin Islands from 2019 to 2022. He was also the chairman of the Virgin Islands Party in the British Virgin Islands from 2016 to 2022.
Events from the year 2019 in the British Virgin Islands.
Natalio Dixon Wheatley is a British Virgin Islands politician currently serving as Premier of the British Virgin Islands. He is the grandson of former Chief Minister, Willard Wheatley. He has at times expressed a preference to be referred to by his adopted African name, Sowande Uhuru.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 24 April 2023. The governing Virgin Islands Party (VIP) remained the largest party in the House of Assembly but lost its majority resulting in a hung parliament.
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