Governor Bryan Seeks Attorney General’s Opinion on Election Law and Ballot Access

U.S. Virgin Islands — July 11, 2026 — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has issued a follow-up request to Attorney General Gordon Rhea seeking a formal legal opinion on election law, ballot access, and candidate certification procedures, clarifying and replacing an earlier request made this week.

According to the Governor’s Office, the revised request focuses on broader legal questions surrounding the administration of elections rather than any individual candidate or specific case. The Governor said the goal is to improve consistency, transparency, and public confidence in the election process.

Among the issues Bryan is asking the Attorney General to address are:

• The respective legal authority of the Board of Elections and the Supervisor of Elections regarding candidate certification, removal, reinstatement, and disqualification.
• What procedural protections are required before a certified candidate can be removed from the ballot.
• How nomination petitions should be reviewed once a candidate has already submitted enough valid signatures to meet statutory ballot access requirements.
• Whether laws or regulations that significantly increase ballot access requirements—such as higher signature thresholds or requiring signatures from every legislative district—comply with the U.S. Constitution, the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, and other applicable laws.
• Whether the Board of Elections may deliberate on candidate eligibility in executive session before voting publicly, and what matters may legally be discussed in closed meetings under the Virgin Islands Open Meetings Act.

Governor Bryan said the request is intended to provide clear legal guidance for election officials, candidates, and voters.

“These are questions about process, procedure and public confidence,” Bryan said. “The people of the Virgin Islands deserve election rules that are clear, consistently applied and fully understood by those who administer our elections, those who seek public office and those who cast their ballots.”

The Governor emphasized that the request is institutional rather than directed at any particular election dispute, stating that clear legal guidance will help ensure election laws are administered fairly and consistently throughout the Territory.

The Attorney General has been asked to issue the formal opinion at the earliest practicable opportunity.