Gordon Ackley, write-in GOP candidate for Congress, and the V.I. GOP jointly filed suit Friday in federal court to demand the V.I. Election System hold a GOP primary or simply place Ackley on the November ballot, according to a statement sent Friday by Dennis Lennox, spokesperson for Ackley and the V.I. GOP. Ackley never filed a nominating petition prior to the statutory May 17 deadline for all candidates, but was chosen by the V.I. GOP to be its nominee for Congress at its June 11 convention on St. Thomas. The suit alleges V.I. voters were disenfranchised because there was no primary. “The actions of the defendants not only have the effect of violating the rights of Mr. Ackley and the Republican Party but also cast serious doubts on the ability of defendants to hold a fair and meaningful election in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” according to the complaint, filed in District Court on St. Thomas.
“The conduct on the part of the defendants has and continues to have the effect of violating the First Amendment and voting rights of citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands,” it continues.
The suit says, “May 17, 2016, was the deadline for individuals to submit nomination petitions to the Election System to have their names appear on the primary ballot for their registered political party. However, given the notice that the Republican Party gave the Board of Elections of the Party’s intention to nominate their candidates for public office at the Republican Party’s territorial convention on June 11, 2016 there was not a necessity for individuals to submit nomination petitions.”
Full Article: V.I. GOP Sues To Put Ackley On Ballot | St. Thomas Source.