Ida Smith seeks $5.5M in lawsuit against Fawkes for removing her name from general election ballot

ST. CROIX — A candidate who ran for the position of delegate to Congress

During the general election last November after the Virgin Islands Board of Elections voted to place her name back on the ballot following its removal by Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes is seeking $5.5 million in damages in a civil complaint against the supervisor claiming a violation of her constitutional right to seek candidacy for the office of U.S. House of Representatives, according to the complaint.

Ida Smith, a candidate for delegate to Congress who lost the general election to Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett by 8,074 votes, is one of 11 plaintiffs seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against Fawkes, named as a defendant in her official capacity.

The complaint includes 10 named registered voters of the Virgin Islands who claim they were denied their constitutional right to vote for the candidate of their choice as well as to vote by paper ballot during the 2024 election.

In addition to Smith, the other plaintiffs are Ann Williams, Chrystalia Petersen, Melissa Sylvester, Kimbra Willett, Lawrence Nielsen, Fabiola Richards Poleon, Barbara LaRonde, Cleopatra Peter, Collister Fahie, and Cheryl Charles. LaRonde and Peter were both elected to the Board of Elections during the general election. Fahie was a nominated candidate for senator in the general election. Charles was a write-in candidate for senator during the primary election.