Long lines at the polling station in the seventh electoral district, Long Look, Tortola. Photo: Team of Reporters

Scene at the Long Look polling station this morning, February 25, 2019. Photo: Team of Reporters

Voters in the fourth electoral district. Photo: Team of Reporters

Voters in the third electoral district, Sea Cow’s Bay. Photo: Team of Reporters

The voting stations opened from 6:00 AM on Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost van Dyke and there have been reports of malfunctioning tabulating machines in about three districts.

Political pundits, talk show host and commentators are predicting a change of government, while others are saying a collation government is eminent as no party might have the 7 seats required to form a government.

Would it be a Premier Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) or Premier Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL) of the National Democratic Party (NDP 1)?

Issues already with counting machine

There were long lines at the Sea Cows Bay polling station, Road Town and in Long Look. The Polls will close at 6:00 PM. Over on the sister island of Anegada, the polls will close at 5:00 PM and the votes will be counted via a new DS200 Electronic counting machine.

The new Premier is expected to be sworn in as early as tomorrow, February 26, 2019, by Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert, if the election is settled.

The new government will serve for a 4-year term unless it falls, the United Kingdom suspends the constitution and imposed direct rule or if a snap election is called.

The VIP is curreltly the only party with a full slate of 13 candidates.

The names nominated and party affliction are as follows:

District One

Andrew A. Fahie (VIP), Stephanie A. Brewley (PU), Sylvia C. Romney-Moses (PVIM)

District Two

Melvin M. Turnbull (PVIM), Carnel D. Clyne (VIP)

District Three

Julian Fraser RA (PU), Aaron F. Parillon (NDP), Arlene L. Smith-Thompson (VIP)

District Four 

Mark H. Vanterpool (NDP), Vincent G. Scatliffe (PU), Luce D. Hodge-Smith (VIP), Karl M. Scatliffe (PVIM)

District Five

Elvis J. Harrigan (NDP), Kye M. Rymer (VIP), Wade N. Smith (PU)

District Six

John M. Samuel (VIP), Alvera Maduro-Caines (NDP)

District Seven

Hipolito D. Penn (NDP), Natalio D. Wheatley (VIP), Kedrick D. Pickering (Independent Candidate) 

District Eight

Dean B. Fahie (VIP), Marlon A. Penn (NDP)

District Nine

Hubert R. O’Neal (NDP), Jose de C. B. de Castro (PVIM), Vincent O. Wheatley (VIP)

Territorial At-Large

Trefor A. Grant (NDP), Sandy M. Underhill (NDP), Henry O. Creque (NDP), Myron V. Walwyn (NDP), 

Carvin Malone (VIP),  Sharie B. de Castro (VIP), Shereen D. Flax-Charles (VIP),  Neville A. Smith (VIP), 

Ronnie W. Skelton (PVIM), Curnal P. Fahie (PVIM), Lesmore Smith (PVIM), Shaina M. Smith (PVIM), 

Derk L. Walters (PU), Rajah A. Smith (PU), Verna V. Smith (PU), 

R. Dancia Penn-Sallah (Independent Candidate)