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VIP disputes D6 ballot count, seeks recount for Samuel

VIP Sixth District candidate John Samuel (centre) after the elections on Monday.

The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) who captured eight of the territory’s 13 electoral seats to win the 2019 General Elections is now disputing one of the remaining five seats they lost.

The VIP has submitted a formal complaint to election officials and is now seeking to get a recount of ballots for the Sixth Electoral District.

VIP candidate John Samuel lost to the NDP’s returning candidate for that constituency, Alvera Maduro-Caines, by 41 votes. The official tally has Maduro-Caines at 575 votes while Samuel trailed by a close 534.

Speaking with BVI News at the conclusion of the election, Samuel said: “We had questions regarding a discrepancy between the numbers that were reported from the tabulating machine at the end of the day and the numbers that were reported here tonight. So we were seeking to verify the numbers from the tabulating machine. That process involves lodging a complaint.”

“He (VIP leader Andrew Fahie) is aware of the process and what we are doing and he supports it,” Samuel added.

A breakdown of the eight seats the VIP won shows Fahie being re-elected into the First District, Kye Rymer being elected into the Fifth District, and Dr Natalio and Vincent Wheatley being voted into the Seventh and Ninth districts, respectively.

All four of the party’s Territorial At-Large candidates Sharie de Castro, Neville ‘Sheep’ Smith, Shereen Flax-Charles, and Carvin Malone won a seat.

The other five seats went to Progressive Virgin Islands Movement candidate Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull (District 2), Progressives United leader Julian Fraser (District 3), and the NDP’s three elected candidates Mark Vanterpool (District 4), Alvera Maduro-Caines (District 6) and NDP Deputy Chairman Marlon Penn (District 8).

Pictured from left to right in numerical order of district, the nine successful district candidates in the 2019 General Elections.

The four successful At-Large candidates in the 2019 General Elections. From left: de Castro, Smith, Flax-Charles, Malone.

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18 Comments

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  1. Observer says:

    John is one of the smartest guys in the VI and would make an excellent MP

    Like 47
    Dislike 15
    • If you watch the video, the dark pouch was not sealed when it got to the desk. says:

      !

      Like 15
      Dislike 8
      • District 8 says:

        Check the video for the 8th as well. The final pouch was not sealed. It was already opened and it was taken to the tabulators in the small brown envelope and not in the little plastic bag like all the others. BUT who to complain to? They will deny any foul play.
        I am told that those jump drives can be reprogrammed by the right person to read votes in favour of a certain candidate. ANY agents for the VIP candidate in the 8th please look into this now now before they erase the tape. DON’T let this slide. Any wrong doing must be exposed!!!!

        Like 10
        Dislike 6
    • @Observer says:

      So is Dancia, did it make her an effective MP?

  2. Confused says:

    The number of votes reported didn’t match the machine count? Look trouble now.

    Like 25
    Dislike 3
  3. Wow says:

    Win/Lose/Draw those votes must add up!

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  4. Go Siddung! says:

    My boy you lost. Go siddung! Next Time. You only came to bash the rep. If you had a plan it might have been different!

    Like 20
    Dislike 39
  5. Ausar says:

    And while you’re recounting, make sure to do the recount also via the black box.

    Chain of custody is so key when it comes to elections!

    If there is any evidence of malfeasance, the black box is the answer!

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  6. The Truth says:

    John is by far the better candidate. Popularity be damned.

    Like 32
    Dislike 11
  7. Home Boy says:

    The people they register that still live in other districts account for that along with people that was brought in to vote. John is the best man to represent the people of district by far>

    Like 24
    Dislike 6
  8. Len says:

    Why wasn’t the recount done last night? Was the difference in votes between the candidates too big?

    Like 13
  9. @the Truth _ says:

    would sheep be there is it was not for Popularity?

    Like 23
    Dislike 7
  10. Interested says:

    As Steve Urkel says ,no matter how you look at it,YOU LOSE.
    Now let us move forward and get on with the business at hand.

    Like 14
    Dislike 7
  11. THE TRUTH says:

    Enough of Steve Urkel and this Furkel…see you later Johnnygator.

    Like 1
    Dislike 3

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