SUBCHAPTER I—GUAM AND VIRGIN ISLANDS

§1711. Delegate to House of Representatives from Guam and Virgin Islands

The territory of Guam and the territory of the Virgin Islands each shall be represented in the United States Congress by a nonvoting Delegate to the House of Representatives, elected as hereinafter provided.

(Pub. L. 92–271, §1, Apr. 10, 1972, 86 Stat. 118.)

§1712. Election of delegates; majority; runoff election; vacancy; commencement of term

(a) The Delegate shall be elected by the people qualified to vote for the members of the legislature of the territory he is to represent at the general election of 1972, and thereafter at such general election every second year thereafter. The Delegate from the Virgin Islands shall be elected at large, by separate ballot and by a majority of the votes cast for the office of Delegate. The Delegate from Guam shall be elected at large and by a majority of the votes cast for the office of Delegate. If no candidate receives such majority, on the fourteenth day following such election a runoff election shall be held between the candidates receiving the highest and the second highest number of votes cast for the office of Delegate. In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Delegate, by reason of death, resignation, or permanent disability, the office of Delegate shall remain vacant until a successor shall have been elected and qualified.

(b) The term of the Delegate shall commence on the third day of January following the date of the election.

(Pub. L. 92–271, §2, Apr. 10, 1972, 86 Stat. 119; Pub. L. 105–209, §1, July 29, 1998, 112 Stat. 880.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–209 inserted "from the Virgin Islands" before "shall be elected at large" and inserted "The Delegate from Guam shall be elected at large and by a majority of the votes cast for the office of Delegate." before "If no candidate receives such majority".

§1713. Qualifications for Office of Delegate

To be eligible for the Office of Delegate a candidate must—

(a) be at least twenty-five years of age on the date of the election,

(b) have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years prior to the date of the election,

(c) be an inhabitant of the territory from which he is elected, and

(d) not be, on the date of the election, a candidate for any other office.

(Pub. L. 92–271, §3, Apr. 10, 1972, 86 Stat. 119.)

§1714. Territorial legislature; determination of election procedure

The legislature of each territory may determine the order of names on the ballot for election of Delegate, the method by which a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Delegate shall be conducted, the method by which ties between candidates for the office of Delegate shall be resolved, and all other matters of local application pertaining to the election and the office of Delegate not otherwise expressly provided for herein.

(Pub. L. 92–271, §4, Apr. 10, 1972, 86 Stat. 119.)

§1715. Operation of Office; House privileges; compensation, allowances, and benefits; privileges and immunities; voting in committee

The Delegate from Guam and the Delegate from the Virgin Islands shall have such privileges in the House of Representatives as may be afforded him under the Rules of the House of Representatives. Until the Rules of the House of Representatives are amended to provide otherwise, the Delegate from each territory shall receive the same compensation, allowances, and benefits as a Member of the House of Representatives, and shall be entitled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or hereinafter may be, granted to the Resident Commissioner for Puerto Rico: Provided, That the right to vote in committee shall be as provided by the Rules of the House of Representatives.

(Pub. L. 92–271, §5, Apr. 10, 1972, 86 Stat. 119; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, §224(4), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1752.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–186 struck out last two provisos which read as follows: "Provided further, That the clerk hire allowance of each Delegate shall be a single per annum gross rate that is 60 per centum of the clerk hire allowance of a Member: Provided further, That the transportation expenses of each Delegate that are subject to reimbursement under section 43b of title 2 shall not exceed the cost of four round trips each year."