Ballotpedia to cover general elections in all five permanently-inhabited U.S. Territories


In 2020, Ballotpedia is covering the general elections in all five permanently-inhabited U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The general election in each territory is scheduled for November 3, 2020.

Candidates are running in elections for the following federal and territory-level offices:
• American Samoa: delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, governor, lieutenant governor, and American Samoa House of Representatives. Members of the American Samoa Senate are selected by village leaders and therefore do not appear on the general election ballot.
• Guam: delegate to the U.S. House, public auditor, consolidated commission on utilities, education board, and Guam legislature
 Northern Mariana Islands: delegate to the U.S. House, supreme court, superior court, board of education, municipal council, Northern Mariana Islands Senate, and Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
• Puerto Rico: resident commissioner in the U.S. House, Governor, Puerto Rico Senate, and Puerto Rico House of Representatives
 U.S. Virgin Islands: delegate to the U.S. House, board of education, board of elections, and legislature of the Virgin Islands

Territorial delegates to the U.S. House have many of the same powers as state congressional representatives. They can serve on committees, speak on the House floor, and introduce bills. However, they cannot vote on legislation.

Additional Reading:
https://ballotpedia.org/American_Samoa_elections,_2020
https://ballotpedia.org/Guam_elections,_2020
https://ballotpedia.org/Northern_Mariana_Islands_elections,_2020
https://ballotpedia.org/Puerto_Rico_elections,_2020
https://ballotpedia.org/U.S._Virgin_Islands_elections,_2020