The issue of the identity of the Virgin Islands’ delegates to the Republican national convention continues. The caucus winners had been challenged on two independent grounds. First, on whether they had lived in the Virgin Islands long enough to be eligible; second, whether they disqualified themselves when they didn’t accept their election within five days of the caucus.

The newcomers won in court on the duration of residency issue. The law does have a 90-day residency requirement for “territorial elections”, but a Virgin Islands court recently ruled that law does not apply to presidential caucuses.

Still to be settled is whether the newcomers should be disqualified because they didn’t accept their election in writing within five days of the caucus. The chair of the party interpreted the five-day period to start on the day of the caucus. But this is disputed by other party officers, who say the five day-period starts on the day when the candidates are certified as the winners. See this story.

The newcomers are all unpledged to any particular presidential candidates, and say that an uncommitted delegation will bring some measure of influence to the Virgin Islands, given the unpredictability of the upcoming Republican presidential process.