Government House on Sunday issued a press release advising the community that Tuesday, November 18 will be observed as a legal holiday across the Territory as voters once again head to the polls to vote in the Run-Off Election scheduled for that day. As such, all government offices will be closed.
On Saturday, certification of the 2014 General Election by the district Boards of Elections revealed that a run-off election was required in the gubernatorial race.
According to the press release, Title 18 of the Virgin Islands Code states that election days are legal holidays and outlines specific provisions for all employees who are required to work on those days, particularly that they are entitled to two hours off from their jobs to vote without loss of pay.
TITLE EIGHTEEN Elections
Chapter 1. General Provisions
18 V.I.C. § 3 (2014)
§ 3. Election days as legal holidays; time off to vote; acts done on Sundays or other legal holidays
(a) The day on which general elections are held shall be a legal holiday in the Virgin Islands, while all primary elections shall be held on a Saturday. All employees who are required to work on those days shall be entitled to two hours off from their jobs without loss of pay to vote in all primaries and elections, provided that they notify their employers before such primaries or elections of their intention to be absent for the purpose of voting.
(b) No part of any day fixed for the performance of any duties by any person or official under this title shall be deemed a Sunday or other legal holiday so as to affect the legality of any work done for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this title, or the right of any person to any compensation herein provided for rendering any service required hereby, or so as to relieve any person from doing on such day whatever is necessary for such purposes, and such services are hereby declared to be necessary public services.
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