Acting governor vetoed elections bill over conflict with federal voting law

Acting Gov. Osbert E. Potter vetoed Bill No. 32-0189 on April 17, 2018, saying the measure conflicted with federal laws protecting absentee voting rights for overseas military personnel and other overseas voters.

The bill, approved by the 32nd Legislature on April 4, 2018, would have changed deadlines for filing nomination papers with the Board of Elections and reprogrammed funding for the 2018 primary elections.

In a veto message to Senate President Myron Jackson, Potter said the territory had moved its primary elections from September to the first Saturday in August under Act No. 7366 in 2012 in response to a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

Potter said federal law, including the MOVE Act, requires states and territories to send requested absentee ballots no later than 45 days before a federal election. He said the Virgin Islands must comply because the office of delegate to Congress appears on local ballots each election cycle.

Potter also wrote that the supervisor of elections had advised that the proposed calendar changes violated federal law and that any reduction in the Elections System budget would create a financial hardship in conducting the primary and general elections.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/acting-governor-potter-vetoes-elections-bill/