ST. CROIX — Legally, Senate candidate Alicia Hansen’s name is not the aforementioned; it is Alden Alicia Pickering. But for more than 20 years, the candidate, a former longtime senator, has not used her legal name — not as a Senator and on many documents — and the situation became a sudden issue following a story The Consortium ran that highlighted a discussion at a Joint Board of Elections meeting in June, where board members said candidates should either use their real name or moniker, and not both.
On July 12, Mrs. Hansen filed in Superior Court to have her name legally changed from Alden Alicia Hansen to Alicia “Chucky” Hansen. In her petition, Mrs. Hansen tells the court the name change is to “make all of my documents consistent with the name I’ve been known as for all my life, that is reflected on my United States passport, and that the public is familiar with as a senator and politician for the last 25 years.”
But the petition does not address why a name that the same petition does not recognize as her legal name has been used for so many years.
The Democratic Party has taken to task Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes, asking that Mrs. Fawkes verify whether Mrs. Hansen, who has filed to run for a Senate seat in the General Election as an independent candidate under the illegal name Alicia “Chucky” Hansen, should be allowed to run, or whether she should be disqualified.
“We are writing to you because the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands has a responsibility to all residents in the Virgin Islands to ensure that every election is conducted in a legitimate manner with legitimate candidates in according with the laws of the Virgin Islands,” reads the letter. “Because of the questions being raised again about the validity of the candidacy of former senator Alicia Hansen, and in order to preserve the integrity of the upcoming election, it is imperative that the Elections System of the Virgin Islands assure the public that she has met all the requirements and fulfilled all responsibilities to be legally qualified to be on the ballot for November 8, 2016 General Election.”
During a Joint Board of Elections meeting on Monday, a majority of board members were astonished that Mrs. Hansen had been able to run for office for so many years using a name that was not legal.
“This is disturbing to me,” said board member Glenn Webster, questioning how was it possible that Mrs. Hansen had ran for public office, become a sitting senator for multiple years, and no one noticed that the name she used was not legal. “This is outrageous [and] beyond my understanding.”
“How could she even be a voter if that’s not her real name?” Mr. Webster questioned. “If [Alicia Hansen] is not her real name, then it’s too late for her to meet the common filing date.” Mr. Webster was referring to the upcoming General Election.
Board member Lisa Harris-Moorhead said the decision should be left to the courts, and so too did St. Thomas Board Chairman Arturo Watlington. But others, including board member Carla Joseph, expressed bewilderment, with Ms. Joseph stating that she was “flustered and flabbergasted” by the revelation.
Board member Aldelbert Bryan, without mincing words, said Mrs. Hansen should not be allowed on the ballot. He also questioned the validity of former Governor John P. de Jongh’s pardon of Mrs. Hansen, stating that Alicia Hansen, not Aldene Alicia Pickering was pardoned. And since there is no legal Alicia Hansen in the Virgin Islands, then the pardon is null and void.
“There is no Chucky Hansen legal in the Virgin Islands,” Mr. Bryan said.
Correction: August 24, 2016
A previous version of this story misspelled Mrs. Hansen’s name as Aldene Alicia Pickering. The correct spelling is Alden Alicia Pickering. The story has been updated to reflect the correct information.
Tags: aldene alicia pickering, alicia chucky hansen
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