The Virgin Islands Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is hosting a series of online and in-person public panel briefings to hear testimony regarding the civil rights concerns related to voting rights in the Virgin Islands. The Committee intends to provide the Commission with their findings and recommendations on this topic. The first panel in this series will take place:
Panel I: Monday, January 23, 2023, 12:00 - 2:00 pm AT
Zoom Audio/Video: https://tinyurl.com/2p8veyau
Audio Only (English): 1-833-435-1820; Meeting ID: 160 241 2601#
The Committee will hear from Dr. Carlyle Corbin, a United Nations expert and former Virgin Islands official, and Neil Weare, President and Founder of Equally American.
“Although Virgin Islanders are natural-born citizens of the United States and in every other way qualified to vote for President, we are voiceless in the Presidential elections simply because of where we live. Neither do we have a right to vote for Senators, or for a full voting member of the House of Representatives,” said Committee Chair Pamela Colon. “On account of zip code, the U.S. Virgin Islands is prevented from exercising the most meaningful right of citizenship: the right to select those who govern.”
Members of the public will be invited to speak during an open comment period at the end of the briefing. Members of the public are encouraged to share their experiences and perspectives on voting in the territory.
svillanueva@usccr.gov