Voting

Because the USVI does not have any voting members of either the house of Representatives or the Senate. These two determine the number of electoral votes any state has, and it is the Electoral College that determines who is elected president of the US, not the popular vote. VI congressional reps do not have a vote.

Actually it is Artilce II Section 1 of the Constitution. It says each state ....... shall appoint electors.

The only exception is Washington D.C. which was given the right to select electors ( i.e. vote for the President & VP ) in the Twenty Third amendment to the Constitution. This amendment was ratified in 1961.

The only way the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc. are going to get to vote for the President & VP is to amend the Constitution again or apply for statehood and be accepted into the union.

As a previous correspondent said the VI's citizens overwhelming Democratic Party affiliation would make either incourse of action a tough sell in the US Congress.

Jim

I think it also has to do with the fact that we don't pay Federal taxes.

It is a crime that the USVI and other United States possesions are not able to vote in the presidential elections. It all boils down to the "electoral college". It is out of date, unfair and destructive to democracy. It should be abolished, but many small states and small minds will never allow that to happen.

stxer

I believe the tax situation is spelled out in the treaty the US signed with Denmark when they purchased the VI.

Jim

I think if it came down to the point wherein you could vote but had to pay federal taxes versus not vote and no taxes, the people would make a clear choice.

As for the electoral college, looks like it was a decision on both parties based on experience over the years.

The US Constitution is a very conservative document. It originally did not allow slaves or women to vote and there was no direct election of US Senators. Many states restricted voting to just property owners.

As it now stands the Constitution is much more liberal regarding who can vote. A bigger issue than if residents of territories should be able to vote is if convicted felons should have their right to vote after they "pay their debt to society".

Jim

i just think it's unfair that if i were to live in Spain, i could vote via absentee ballot but since i live in US TERRITORY that can't happen. not fair

"Democracy" is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. The founding father's established our country as a democratic republic for good reason.

Not to be ugly - but who cares? If you want to vote so bad then stay on the mainland -- I prefer no taxes then taxes and voting - but that's just my opinion.

Jay: Bravo! John Adams watched the horror of the French Revolution and was determined to prevent mob rule.