UPDATE - Mad rush to vote as polls close!
The polls have been officially closed but those currently in lines will be allowed to cast their votes.
At the House of Assembly at 6 p.m., Leader of the Opposition Dr. D. Orlando Smith is among persons in the line waiting to cast their votes.
The gate to the voting centre at the House of Assembly building was closed at 6 p.m.; however, one person turned up breathlessly at about a minute after claiming that he was in the wrong line at Sea Cows Bay and was told he was on the list to vote in Road Town. An election official then allowed him in to exercise his franchise. The official told Virgin Islands News Online that the individual was allowed in because he came from another polling station.
At the Enis Adams pre-Primary School, many are also still in line while at the Willard Wheatley Primary School, it is reported that close to 100 persons are still waiting.
Meanwhile, at the Valerie O'Thomas Community Centre in the 3rd District, voters have been granted a half hour grace period to complete their voting.
Earlier today, Virgin Islands News Online visited several of the polling stations where voters disclosed that they were pleased with how the voting process was going so far.
At Enis Adams pre-Primary school, Delora Mathia who hails from the Dominican Republic revealed this is the first time she is voting and arrived at the station just about 6 a.m.
Nearly 40 voters were at that polling station at around 7:30 am, which Ms. Mathia said is what she was most shocked about.
“To be honest I did not expect to see so many persons out. I guess they were thinking like me, to get out early and vote.”
Meanwhile, at one of the polling stations in the 6th district, the incumbent Omar Hodge looked at ease while having conversations with voters at Alexandrina Primary, Baughers Bay.
He divulged that he has not voted yet because he is waiting for his constituents to vote. He was there from about 6:15 a.m. "It does not make sense me going in the line and block somebody, I have until 6 o'clock," he said.
He too is surprised with the turnout. "It's a good thing, I like what I am seeing," he added with a smile.
At about 8 a.m., about 80 plus voters were at that polling station.
Meanwhile, in the 8th district, an average of 60 plus voters waited patiently to cast their votes. Bently Hodge, who was with his wife, from about 8 a.m. said the he is impressed with with the platform of the candidate is he voting for.
And as reported before, a record number of candidates are contesting the At Large and district seats. The number stands at 43, which includes members of four political parties and several independent candidates.
The four political parties contesting the 2011 General Elections in the Virgin Islands are the People’s Patriotic Alliance (PPA) -leader unknown; The ruling Virgin Islands Party (VIP) of Premier Ralph T. O’Neal OBE; the People’s Party of L. Allen Wheatley and the opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) of Dr. D. Orlando Smith.
Below is the figures for registered voters for the 2011 General Elections List of candidates for the Virgin Islands (VI) 2011 General Elections: 1st District- Andrew A. Fahie of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), and Independent candidate Preston Stout. 2nd District- J. Alvin Christopher (VIP), Leall Rhymer (Independent), Claude Skelton Cline (NDP) and Allewine Smith (Independent) 3rd District- Julian Fraser (VIP) and Kevin Smith (NDP) 4th District- Colin Scatliffe (Independent), Vincent Scatliffe (VIP) and Mark Vanterpool (NDP) 5th District- Delores Christopher (NDP) and Elvis Harrigan (VIP) 6th District- Omar Hodge (VIP) and Alvera Maduro-Caines (NDP) 7th District- Ronnie Lettsome (VIP), Dr. Kedrick Pickering (NDP) and Ludwis Allen Wheatley (Independent) 8th District- A. Nolan Davis (Independent), Dancia Penn (VIP), Marlon Penn (NDP) and Bevis Sylvester (Independent) 9th District - Hubert O’Neal (NDP), Ralph T. O’Neal (VIP), Samuel O’Neal (Independent), Devon Osborne (Independent) and Lorie Rymer (Independent). Territorial At Large candidates 1. Eileene Baronville (Independent) 2. Elton Callwood (People’s Patriotic Alliance-PPA) 3. Archibald Christian (NDP) 4. Keith L. Flax (VIP) 5. Bertrand Lettsome (Independent) 6. Edmund Maduro (Independent) 7. Vernon Malone (VIP) 8. Lionel Penn (Independent) 9. Irene Penn-O’Neal (VIP) 10. Ronnie W. Skelton (NDP) 11. Daniel Orlando Smith (NDP) 12. Khoy Smith (PPA) 13. Shaina Smith (PPA) 14. Zoe Walcott-McMillan (VIP) 15. Myron Walwyn (NDP)16. Natalio Sowande Uhuru Wheatley (PPA)
Election polls win by NDP or VIP
The elections campaign were very competitive however, recent polls showed a dead heat between the two main political parties, the NDP and VIP. A scientific poll conducted for the company Advance Marketing and Professional Services shows that the VIP could hold on to districts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9 with the NDP winning 4, and 7. The 6 and 9 were too close to call with possible up-sets and the At-Large showing only two safe seats, one for Irene Penn-O'Neal from the VIP and Dr. D. Orlando Smith from the NDP.
Another prediction from the polling shows that one of the two main political parties will win outright NDP or VIP and there will be no coalition government as some commentators have predicted. We will see if the polling was correct tonight.
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