Make Your Voice Count: Voting Access & Early Voting Explained - Episode 86 with Terrell Alexandre Deputy Supervisor of Elections: täielik transkriptsioon

Papilar. 00:05:11.396 --> 00:05:15.611 And St. John, we're located in the Marketplace Suite 3; And on St. 00:05:15.611 --> 00:05:18.891 Croix, we're located in the Sunhead Shopping Center, 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:23.919 the former movie theater, location the process is very simple. Just walk 00:05:23.919 --> 00:05:27.536 into the office with your documents your documents that you require to provide us, 00:05:28.012 --> 00:05:31.466 we need either your u.s birth certificate a U.S. passport 00:05:31.907 --> 00:05:36.989 If you're a naturalized citizen, a naturalization certificate. We don't accept an expired passport 00:05:36.989 --> 00:05:39.261 And none of those documents can not be copied. 00:05:39.679 --> 00:05:43.099 Let's say you don't want to come into the office; you can visit our website vi 00:05:43.099 --> 00:05:47.772 vote.gov/registration to complete the registration online. 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:53.769 Since we're in the we're in the primary election, registration ended on July 00:05:53.769 --> 00:05:58.509 2nd, we have to close voter registration 30 days before any election, and then 00:05:58.509 --> 00:06:00.580 it opens back up five days after, 00:06:01.038 --> 00:06:05.723 any election, so registration will be opened back up for the general election from August 6, 00:06:06.298 --> 00:06:11.255 until October 4th where we will be able to register to vote to take part in the 00:06:11.847 --> 00:06:14.899 general election, but the first step is to register to vote. Again, 00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:16.559 the documents you need are either your U.S. 00:06:16.559 --> 00:06:20.468 Birth certificate, U.S. passport, or a naturalization certificate. 00:06:20.851 --> 00:06:24.639 Would you provide any one of those documents? We don't accept copies. 00:06:25.758 --> 00:06:28.254 Any one of those documents, and the passport cannot be expired. 00:06:28.938 --> 00:06:35.099 I know the last election, we did an exit poll, and it was quite promising in 00:06:35.099 --> 00:06:43.435 terms of people having access and the ability to seek assistance in voting. 00:06:43.945 --> 00:06:48.919 Can you expand a little bit on that in terms of what you've seen happening 00:06:48.919 --> 00:06:52.101 then, since you've just had the early voting? 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:58.319 You can reframe the question; I'm going to make sure I understand it clearly. I was saying that we had a 00:06:58.990 --> 00:07:04.877 an exit poll during the last election. And the information we got from the people 00:07:04.877 --> 00:07:08.647 that we polled was very promising in terms of how the election was conducted, 00:07:08.647 --> 00:07:12.075 access, if you needed help with voting and so forth. 00:07:12.626 --> 00:07:18.347 And just so folks know, people with disabilities or anybody that has any kind 00:07:18.347 --> 00:07:23.097 of issues where you can't vote for yourself, you could actually bring somebody to help you. 00:07:23.097 --> 00:07:26.607 I'm saying that correctly, right? Correct. Except if they're a union person 00:07:26.607 --> 00:07:28.136 or the person that employs you? 00:07:28.804 --> 00:07:31.877 You could bring anyone. Once you feel comfortable, you're bringing someone who 00:07:31.877 --> 00:07:32.957 could assist you to vote. 00:07:32.957 --> 00:07:37.127 You could bring anyone. There is some paperwork required to complete that process, 00:07:37.452 --> 00:07:41.187 but that person can only assist one voter in the election. So for example, 00:07:41.187 --> 00:07:44.667 if you have parents, you would only be able to assist one parent. 00:07:44.667 --> 00:07:46.514 Somebody else would have to assist the other parent. 00:07:46.885 --> 00:07:50.947 That's one step in the voting process with individuals with disability. 00:07:50.947 --> 00:07:54.577 And even if you don't have a disability, anyone can assist the next voter, 00:07:54.577 --> 00:07:57.060 but it has to be one person per election. 00:07:57.506 --> 00:08:00.691 Also, our machines are capable to assist any voter. 00:08:01.179 --> 00:08:05.987 The ExpressVote machine, it has the braille on it and you can put in a headset 00:08:05.987 --> 00:08:08.869 and the machine will read everything that's on the screen to you. 00:08:09.310 --> 00:08:12.462 And you can use a keypad on the side of the screen to make your selections. 00:08:12.936 --> 00:08:17.767 And in the DS200, you plug in the headphones to hear when you scan your ballot 00:08:17.767 --> 00:08:20.984 And the DS200 is your tabulator; that's where the votes are counted. 00:08:21.367 --> 00:08:25.477 It will tell you any errors or what's happening with your ballot once you meet 00:08:25.477 --> 00:08:28.780 the requirements, the machine will just accept your ballot as is, 00:08:29.296 --> 00:08:33.357 if you undervoted or overvoted in any contest, which is your right to do, you 00:08:33.357 --> 00:08:37.820 may want to undervote in a contest, specifically for example, let's say you want to vote for only two, 00:08:38.372 --> 00:08:40.851 candidates in the Senate race, you can. 00:08:41.747 --> 00:08:44.998 But the machine will just prompt you and let you know that you're undervoting, 00:08:45.608 --> 00:08:49.635 but it is your choice, and if you want to cast your ballot, you could hit "cast" 00:08:50.012 --> 00:08:53.318 if not, you could hit "return," and then you could go and make your selection, but 00:08:53.318 --> 00:08:56.943 then it is your choice, and this this can be completed on the express vote machines, 00:08:57.396 --> 00:09:01.508 We do a very good job of thinking of voters when we're implementing 00:09:01.508 --> 00:09:04.988 processes, selecting locations, for example, 00:09:05.468 --> 00:09:10.518 we were pleased to use the St. Croix Educational Complex gymnasium but the issue 00:09:10.518 --> 00:09:14.998 with the Educational Complex gymnasium is the walking distance you have to walk 00:09:14.998 --> 00:09:17.446 from your vehicle to get to the gymnasium. 00:09:17.835 -->

00:09:20.738 So one switch we made was we started to utilize the St. 00:09:20.738 --> 00:09:25.198 Joseph Hospitality Lounge that worked well for us during early voting and in 00:09:25.198 --> 00:09:29.728 the last in the 2024 general election, so that's a switch we made. We always try 00:09:29.728 --> 00:09:32.981 to keep the voters in mind to make the process easier for the voters, 00:09:33.393 --> 00:09:36.948 because without the voters we would not have an election, and we have to ensure 00:09:36.948 --> 00:09:39.296 that we are meeting the voters' needs each election, 00:09:40.273 --> 00:09:45.356 Have you had complaints with regard to providing those access points? 00:09:45.953 --> 00:09:48.616 Yes, and that's why sometimes we have to look at what we're doing. 00:09:49.850 --> 00:09:53.564 We typically do use public buildings because public buildings are free, 00:09:53.976 --> 00:09:55.657 and we don't have to pay a cost for it. 00:09:55.959 --> 00:09:59.000 And we did get complaints about the Educational Complex. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:02.980 It's so funny, I saw an email about it the other day when I was going to answer, 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:08.440 A voter submitted a complaint about the walking distance at the Educational 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:12.170 Complex, back in the 2022 election cycle. 00:10:12.170 --> 00:10:16.560 So then in 2024, we made the change to utilize the St. Joseph Hospitality Lounge 00:10:16.560 --> 00:10:18.090 and that worked out well. 00:10:18.485 --> 00:10:23.214 St. Joseph, and then at Central High School, the Modular Gymnasium worked well for us. 00:10:23.597 --> 00:10:26.580 D.C. Canagata works well. And then we are in Frederiksted, 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:29.960 we have the Claudeo Marco School. So we always try to keep the voters in mind 00:10:29.960 --> 00:10:31.643 when searching for locations. 00:10:31.859 --> 00:10:35.760 I'm happy that you said that. And just to add that as a voter, 00:10:35.760 --> 00:10:39.920 you have a right to vote however you want, wherever you want, 00:10:39.920 --> 00:10:44.713 and you're supposed to get access to the machines, access to information. 00:10:45.125 --> 00:10:48.290 And if you don't get that access, you can complain about it. 00:10:48.290 --> 00:10:51.230 You can complain to the election system, to the board of elections. 00:10:51.230 --> 00:10:53.950 You could complain to the AG's office. 00:10:53.950 --> 00:10:57.200 You could complain to us because that's one of the things that we do at the 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.310 Disability Rights Center. And you could do that anonymously. 00:11:00.310 --> 00:11:03.352 You could come in person. You could submit an email. 00:11:03.608 --> 00:11:07.850 We always like documentation, so then if we have to investigate a matter, 00:11:07.850 --> 00:11:12.410 that we could have key documentation to see what we have to be investigating. 00:11:12.410 --> 00:11:14.074 So always look for that documentation. 00:11:15.167 --> 00:11:20.096 And then also you have to keep in mind, and if you're someone with a disability, 00:11:20.096 --> 00:11:23.756 you don't have a disability, you could also request an absentee ballot. 00:11:24.092 --> 00:11:27.686 You don't have to actually come into the office to do that process. 00:11:27.686 --> 00:11:32.929 You could request that from our website, www.vote.gov/absentee 00:11:33.382 --> 00:11:35.986 And then we could put the ballot in the mail if you request it, 00:11:35.986 --> 00:11:38.048 email, or somebody can pick it up. 00:11:38.394 --> 00:11:42.266 For the primary election, July 18th was the last day to request any ballot that 00:11:42.266 --> 00:11:45.282 was going to be mailed, whether it was on-island or off-island. 00:11:45.654 --> 00:11:50.076 So up until August 1st at 5 p.m., you can only request a ballot that will be 00:11:50.416 --> 00:11:55.676 emailed or a ballot that you pick up from the office. So there are numerous 00:11:55.676 --> 00:11:57.293 ways a voter can cast a ballot. 00:11:58.034 --> 00:12:01.504 You don't have to be compelled to come in and go to a voter center to vote. 00:12:01.795 --> 00:12:05.646 You do have options. You could always reach out to our offices and send us the 00:12:05.646 --> 00:12:11.676 phone number is 774-3107. And at St. Croix, it's 773-1021. 00:12:11.956 --> 00:12:15.663 Again, the number at St. Croix is 340-773-1021. 00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:19.912 And at St. Thomas, it's 340-774-3107. 00:12:20.307 --> 00:12:23.825 You could always reach out to our offices, and we could provide further assistance to you. 00:12:24.695 --> 00:12:29.736 Question, can you vote at any polling station, or do you have to vote at a specific one? 00:12:29.736 --> 00:12:33.936 That's a great question. So in 2022, well, we actually started the process in 00:12:33.936 --> 00:12:38.136 2020, and we apologized to our voters because when we implemented it, 00:12:38.136 --> 00:12:41.854 the implementation was very, very wrong. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.666 We thought we knew what we were doing, but then we were trying to build it based 00:12:45.666 --> 00:12:49.416 on the equipment that we had. So then we had to invest funding, 00:12:49.416 --> 00:12:52.506 have our funding, and then we purchased some new e-poll books, 00:12:52.506 --> 00:12:55.979 which allowed us to allow voters to vote at any one of the voting centers. 00:12:56.344 --> 00:12:59.386 So let's say you work in Frederiksted, but you live in Christiansted. 00:12:59.758 --> 00:13:02.521 If you're in Frederiksted, you can vote at a voter center in Frederiksted. 00:13:02.875 --> 00:13:08.016 If you're in the country, if you work in the country but live in the town, 00:13:08.855 --> 00:13:10.922 you could vote in the country. 00:13:11.311 --> 00:13:16.346 You're not tied to a specific precinct, and every single precinct contains the 00:13:16.346 --> 00:13:18.071 correct ballot for the voters to get. 00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:23.762 And, it's the same

process during early voting. It worked well during early voting. 00:13:24.122 --> 00:13:26.594 So we know it works well on Election Day. 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:31.083 Where are the polling stations on St. Croix? Do you have that information? 00:13:31.501 --> 00:13:36.439 Yes, for the primary election, the polling locations on St. Croix are the 00:13:36.439 --> 00:13:41.768 DC Canageta Recreation Center, the St. Croix Central High Modular Gymnasium, 00:13:42.290 --> 00:13:46.492 and Claudio Marco Elementary School in Frederiksted. 00:13:46.891 --> 00:13:51.119 Since it's a small election, we use less voting centers, and you can visit any 00:13:51.119 --> 00:13:53.074 one of those voting centers to cast a ballot 00:13:53.444 --> 00:13:57.379 and if you don't want to visit a voting center, just remind voters again we have 00:13:57.379 --> 00:14:04.305 early voting from July 22 and 29, 9 a.m to 6 p.m and that does include Saturdays and Sundays 00:14:04.706 --> 00:14:09.329 And if not, you could request an absentee. You could request it via email up until 00:14:09.329 --> 00:14:13.739 email, and to pick it up from the office until August 1st at 5 p.m. The last to 00:14:13.739 --> 00:14:16.700 request a mail ballot was July 18th. 00:14:17.458 --> 00:14:24.089 Okay. In terms of going back to some of the issues that you may have heard from 00:14:24.089 --> 00:14:27.452 voters, I know transportation sometimes is a big issue. 00:14:28.128 --> 00:14:33.329 We've always advocated for folks to get transportation. If you need transportation, 00:14:33.329 --> 00:14:38.351 you can contact DRCVI, and we can see what we can do to help you if you have a disability. 00:14:39.527 --> 00:14:46.464 But besides those - transportation, access - what other issues have you seen come 00:14:46.464 --> 00:14:50.109 up that has hindered somebody from voting? 00:14:50.427 --> 00:14:56.220 That would primarily be the majority of the access issues we may have. 00:14:57.534 --> 00:15:00.881 Because we make the process so simple that we really don't. 00:15:01.247 --> 00:15:03.984 Like I mentioned earlier, there's numerous ways you could cast your ballot. 00:15:03.984 --> 00:15:07.384 So you could request a ballot online, get the ballot online, 00:15:07.384 --> 00:15:11.023 and then email it back to us. So you don't physically have to come into the office. 00:15:11.545 --> 00:15:14.854 And even if you're not tech savvy, you could have somebody pick up the ballot 00:15:14.854 --> 00:15:19.384 for you, or we could mail a ballot to you, and then you could just mail it back 00:15:19.384 --> 00:15:23.426 to you. And when you mail it back to us, there is no cost of mailing the ballot 00:15:23.646 --> 00:15:25.173 back to the Election System. 00:15:25.643 --> 00:15:31.814 So we don't really have accessibility issues because there are numerous ways a voter can vote. 00:15:33.374 --> 00:15:38.154 And prior to doing online voter registration, which we started in January 2025, 00:15:38.154 -->

00:15:41.944 That would have been the only other accessibility, but now you could register 00:15:41.944 --> 00:15:44.910 to vote online, and that's open 24-7. 00:15:45.599 --> 00:15:51.438 So there is no reason why you cannot be registered to vote. And the process is simple. 00:15:51.787 --> 00:15:55.560 And then, we're still finding ways of tweaking it. We have one more update where 00:15:55.995 --> 00:16:00.595 the voter will be able to complete their picture during the online process. 00:16:00.880 --> 00:16:05.173 Once we have the person's picture and signature, the file, and the rest of the information. 00:16:06.406 --> 00:16:10.563 We could then print the ID card in the office, and we could mail that ID card to the voter. 00:16:10.563 --> 00:16:14.850 So the voter will not even have to come to the office to complete the registration 00:16:15.030 --> 00:16:18.493 process. So we're thinking out of the box to improve the process, 00:16:18.493 --> 00:16:21.817 to make sure that the process is easy and accessible for every single voter. 00:16:22.438 --> 00:16:26.473 Thank you for that. Putting those questions out, because I want people with 00:16:26.473 --> 00:16:29.733 disabilities to understand how easy it is to vote. Very easy. 00:16:29.873 --> 00:16:34.763 How easy it is to express your right and choose the candidates and have your 00:16:34.763 --> 00:16:36.172 best interests at heart, you know? 00:16:36.445 --> 00:16:42.483 Yeah, it's quite simple. We try our best. And if any of you have a suggestion 00:16:42.483 --> 00:16:46.065 that we can implement to improve the process, you're welcome to share with us. 00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:52.058 Again, our phone number is 340-773-1021 on St. Croix. And then St. 00:16:52.058 --> 00:16:56.084 Thomas is 340-774-3107. 00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:57.963 And if you want to contact us via 00:16:57.963 --> 00:17:06.563 email, it's ESVI, as in Election System of The Virgin Islands, ESVI.info@VI.gov 00:17:06.563 --> 00:17:10.593 And you can submit your suggestions or your complaints there just to give us 00:17:10.593 --> 00:17:11.869 feedback on the process. 00:17:13.506 --> 00:17:19.506 You and I were speaking about some things earlier, and that involved the distinct 00:17:19.506 --> 00:17:22.856 difference between the Election System and the Board of Elections. 00:17:22.856 --> 00:17:26.982 Can you expand a little bit on that? Because there are some people who confuse the two. 00:17:27.434 --> 00:17:31.836 So, okay, let's clarify. So the Election System of the Virgin Islands is the 00:17:31.836 --> 00:17:34.528 Board of Elections and the Office of the Supervisor combined. 00:17:35.010 --> 00:17:40.251 And then the Board of Elections is the policy arm of the election system. 00:17:40.594 --> 00:17:45.621 And then the Office of the Supervisor is the one who runs the day-to-day of the operation. 00:17:45.981 --> 00:17:49.406 So the chairman of the board is Mr. Raymond J. Williams, and then the supervisor 00:17:49.406 --> 00:17:50.834 of election is Caroline Fawkes. 00:17:51.229 --> 00:17:53.858 So think about it as the executive and legislative branch. 00:17:54.770 --> 00:17:58.746 The Board of Elections is the legislative branch of the Election System and then, 00:17:59.646 --> 00:18:02.740 the Office of the Supervisor is the executive branch of the Election System. 00:18:03.106 --> 00:18:06.166 So if you want to look at it that way, because the board is the one who's going 00:18:06.166 --> 00:18:10.756 to promulgate rules, conduct hearings for election matters, and then the supervisor 00:18:10.756 --> 00:18:15.196 of election runs the day-to-day office with our amazing team members. 00:18:15.196 --> 00:18:19.540 We're a smart staff of individuals that is tasked with doing a herculean job, 00:18:19.882 --> 00:18:24.002 but we do it very well, and we're very excited about completing those tasks. 00:18:25.144 --> 00:18:29.354 That's good to hear, but can you go in a little further? Because sometimes you 00:18:29.354 --> 00:18:33.782 go to vote, and you see people out there counting or people moving folks around. 00:18:34.461 --> 00:18:37.994 What's the distinct difference between somebody who's on the board and somebody 00:18:37.994 --> 00:18:42.184 who is actually in the day-to-day operations of the election? Okay, great. 00:18:42.504 --> 00:18:46.964 So the board, again, is the policymaking ones. They're more there for setting 00:18:46.964 --> 00:18:53.184 policies, testing of the machines, conducting hearings, the supervisor of elections. 00:18:53.624 --> 00:18:55.291 We run the day-to-day office. 00:18:56.882 --> 00:19:00.944 Both arms conduct voter registration. The board will do voter registration outside 00:19:00.944 --> 00:19:05.502 of the office, and then the office staff will do voter registration inside of the office. 00:19:05.891 --> 00:19:11.584 And the Supervisor of Elections conducts the campaign finances and voter registration, 00:19:11.904 --> 00:19:14.078 absentee ballots, the board would count absentee ballots. 00:19:14.780 --> 00:19:18.281 And then we hire the office supervisor to conduct the election because our law 00:19:18.281 --> 00:19:21.471 was changed towards the end of 2024. 00:19:21.471 --> 00:19:25.041 So we conduct the election. So we train the election officials and the election 00:19:25.041 --> 00:19:28.081 officials are the poll workers who work at the voting center. 00:19:28.081 --> 00:19:33.819 So we do hire staff of individuals to come out, to work to assist the voting process. 00:19:34.323 --> 00:19:37.421 And then we train them, and then we compute the results, and then we submit back 00:19:37.421 --> 00:19:39.133 the results to the Board of Elections. 00:19:39.573 --> 00:19:44.621 So, in case there is an issue with the results, you can contact the Board 00:19:44.621 --> 00:19:48.948 of Elections, and in the Board of Elections, we can schedule a hearing to determine 00:19:49.081 --> 00:19:52.831 if there was

any issue prior to taking the situation to court. 00:19:53.482 --> 00:19:59.841 I'm happy you mentioned that because the event that we have scheduled for August 12th and 13th, 00:19:59.841 --> 00:20:04.591 St. Croix and St. Thomas, we had to go to the Board of Elections to have that because 00:20:04.591 --> 00:20:08.241 they would do the external registry. Yes, because that will be outside of the 00:20:08.241 --> 00:20:14.005 office registration and machine demonstration. So the board will be there conducting those events. 00:20:14.352 --> 00:20:19.251 And lucky for you guys, you're holding the event in the Sunny Isle Shopping Center. 00:20:20.011 --> 00:20:25.021 So voters would have access to the office. So then if they do do a registration 00:20:25.021 --> 00:20:28.331 outside of the office, then you come into the office and get their voter ID 00:20:28.331 --> 00:20:30.142 right away to complete the process. Yes. 00:20:31.535 --> 00:20:37.360 What for you would constitute a good day for the election system? 00:20:39.749 --> 00:20:43.435 Just a voter being able to cast the ballot free of any issues. 00:20:43.435 --> 00:20:45.277 So yesterday we had a very great day. 00:20:45.607 --> 00:20:50.420 We had 509 voters who actually did that in the St. Croix District and 468, 00:20:53.435 --> 00:20:57.315 in the St. Thomas. In St. Thomas, St. John. And then three in St. 00:20:57.315 --> 00:21:00.751 John. So that was actually a good day. Just a voter being able to cast the ballot 00:21:01.152 --> 00:21:03.555 without any issue. That I consider that a good day. 00:21:04.461 --> 00:21:10.765 I know we've been talking a little bit more on the preliminary or those elections 00:21:10.765 --> 00:21:12.444 for the Democratic candidates. 00:21:12.873 --> 00:21:17.703 Can you expand a little bit more when we get into the general election, 00:21:18.232 --> 00:21:22.135 some of the things that voters need to be aware of in terms of some of the dates, 00:21:22.135 --> 00:21:26.845 if you have that, and some of the requirements that they may need, or the fact 00:21:26.845 --> 00:21:28.436 that they can still register to vote? 00:21:28.657 --> 00:21:32.395 Correct. So the first step, if you want to take part in the voter registration 00:21:32.395 --> 00:21:36.515 process, I mean, in the 2026 general election, the first you have 00:21:36.515 --> 00:21:38.177 to make sure that you are registered to vote, 00:21:39.692 --> 00:21:45.201 You can contact our offices, send queries against 340-773-1021. 00:21:49.456 --> 00:21:49.795 Send time to us at 340-774-3107, 00:21:51.895 --> 00:21:53.920 to find out your status, or you can even visit our website via VOTE.Gov 00:21:55.066 --> 00:21:58.383 and you can look up your voter registration status, 00:21:58.848 --> 00:22:02.656 though that will be the first step in the registration process registration 00:22:02.656 --> 00:22:07.426 opens back after the primary on August 6 and it ends on October 4th. October 00:22:07.426 --> 00:22:13.684 4th is a Sunday, and the office will be open, and that Sunday, I think will be open from 12 p.m 00:22:14.107 --> 00:22:18.668 to 3 p.m., and then you could still again do the voter registration online, 00:22:19.254 --> 00:22:25.443 via vote.gov/registration. That process will be open until October 2nd at 5 p.m, 00:22:25.913 --> 00:22:29.436 and then you can't do anything else after October 2nd for the online voter registration 00:22:29.436 --> 00:22:33.896 you'd have to come into the office to complete the process. After we complete 00:22:33.896 --> 00:22:36.465 registration, we move directly into 00:22:37.227 --> 00:22:41.606 early voting. Early voting is scheduled to begin less than two weeks after we 00:22:41.606 --> 00:22:46.746 close registration. It's supposed to begin on a Friday, October 16th, on St. Croix 00:22:46.746 --> 00:22:51.147 and St. Thomas, and it runs from October 16th to the 31st, 00:22:51.594 --> 00:22:54.207 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 00:22:54.658 --> 00:22:58.815 And for St. John, it'll be a reduced number of days. 00:22:59.506 --> 00:23:02.536 I don't think we have settled on the correct number of days for St. 00:23:02.536 --> 00:23:05.612 John, but the hours on St. John will be 9 to 4. 00:23:05.943 --> 00:23:09.146 But it will end through one for St. John; it will end on the 31st, 00:23:09.146 --> 00:23:10.303 like St. Croix and St. Thomas. 00:23:10.686 --> 00:23:14.050 So voters are encouraged to - one, first: learn your status. 00:23:14.427 --> 00:23:18.699 And then, we have the General Election, which is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3rd. 00:23:19.036 --> 00:23:20.486 Voting centers will open at 00:23:20.486 --> 00:23:26.089 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. I could specifically speak on the district of St. Croix. 00:23:27.006 --> 00:23:30.926 The voting centers on St. Croix are from East Queen to Frederiksted. We have D.C. 00:23:30.926 --> 00:23:37.424 Canegata Recreation Center, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church Auditorium, 00:23:37.649 --> 00:23:40.456 I mean, School Auditorium, St. 00:23:40.456 --> 00:23:45.766 Croix Central High Modular Gymnasium, St. Joseph Church Hospitality Lounge, 00:23:46.056 --> 00:23:49.466 and the Claudio Marco Elementary School in Frederiksted. 00:23:49.727 --> 00:23:51.810 So we'll have five voter centers open up. 00:23:52.170 --> 00:23:55.479 During early voting, the locations will be at our offices, 00:23:56.482 --> 00:24:00.298 From October 16th to the 31st on St. Croix and St. Thomas, we're located in the 00:24:00.298 --> 00:24:03.978 Sunny Isle Shopping Center, former movie theater location, and in St. 00:24:03.978 --> 00:24:07.163 Thomas is above Lockhart Gardens. 00:24:08.208 --> 00:24:11.321 Here you have it. You are encouraged to vote early. 00:24:11.569 --> 00:24:14.998 That's what I'm hearing from you, right? Yes. But we love to promote early voting, 00:24:14.998 --> 00:24:17.860 help us get our numbers up there. 00:24:18.948 --> 00:24:22.378 It's quick, and it's easy. The average person they take no more than 10 minutes. 00:24:22.378 --> 00:24:25.593 So I'm real proud of the job the staff did on the first day. 00:24:26.908 --> 00:24:33.660 For example, we had 47 individuals being checked in within the first 17 minutes of early voting. 00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:37.699 That's amazing. Yes, that's how quick the process is. 00:24:38.030 --> 00:24:42.625 And I believe by 9.30, all voters - those 47 voters were all out of the 00:24:42.625 --> 00:24:47.235 office by 9.30 in the St. Croix District. So kudos to the staff. Job well done. 00:24:47.583 --> 00:24:51.786 I was very excited about it. And then we ended the day with 509 voters. 00:24:52.377 --> 00:24:56.881 Well, thank you, Terrell. I could call you that because I've known you for so long. 00:24:58.005 --> 00:25:02.485 Thank you for coming by. I appreciate the time. I know you have an event, 00:25:02.825 --> 00:25:04.945 September the 19th? Yes. 00:25:05.265 --> 00:25:09.075 And that's at your Sunny Isle location? Yes, it'll be on all three islands. 00:25:09.075 --> 00:25:12.118 Okay, so you have it on St. Thomas as well. Is it the same day? 00:25:12.344 --> 00:25:17.455 Yeah, it'll all be on the same day, September 19th, with the 2026 Elections Expo. 00:25:17.455 --> 00:25:22.005 That ties in with the National Voter Registration Day. That's our last effort 00:25:22.005 --> 00:25:27.541 to try and encourage voter registration before the 2026 General Election. 00:25:27.913 --> 00:25:32.185 You have to be registered to vote in order to take part in the 2026 General 00:25:32.185 --> 00:25:34.545 Election. So once you're registered, 00:25:35.285 --> 00:25:39.659 are registered to vote. So we thank you for inviting us to your show, 00:25:39.938 --> 00:25:42.905 and we look forward to coming out to your show, and, again if anybody has any 00:25:42.905 --> 00:25:48.965 concerns, and then also reach out to our office. Our office in St. Croix is 340-773-1021 00:25:48.965 --> 00:25:57.705 St. Croix and St. Thomas is 340-774-3107, and email is esvi.info@vi.gov and 00:25:57.705 --> 00:26:01.295 our website is vivote.gov So thank you very much, and we wish you well on the 00:26:01.295 --> 00:26:02.466 work you do for our community. 00:26:02.837 --> 00:26:07.011 Thank you. Thank you for coming out. We really appreciate it. No problem. 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:18.635 The views expressed on this program are not necessarily those of WTJX, 00:26:18.635 --> 00:26:21.176 its boards, staff, or underwriters.