A new public opinion survey will be administered by University of Michigan researchers across the U.S. Virgin Islands in the weeks surrounding the territory's Sixth Constitutional Convention.
The survey will provide an independent read on how Virgin Islanders view the convention process and their political priorities in the months ahead.
The project-developed by Mara Cecilia Ostfeld, research associate professor of public policy at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy and Ignangeli Salinas-Muñiz, U-M political science doctoral candidate-will be fielded by Island Analytics with support from students at the University of the Virgin Islands.
"This is an opportunity to hear directly from residents about their hopes, concerns and policy priorities," Ostfeld said. "The survey will capture views on the convention itself, political status preferences, voting rights, autonomy and dependency, and everyday challenges residents identify as most pressing."
The U.S. Virgin Islands is an unincorporated U.S. territory governed under federal law and the Revised Organic Act; constitutional conventions are the local mechanism for proposing a home-rule constitution within that federal relationship.
Since the 1960s, the USVI has convened multiple conventions and referenda seeking greater local self-government. Past efforts have produced draft constitutions and reforms but have faced low turnout, specific provision disputes, or federal concerns-making public understanding and participation crucial as the Sixth Convention works toward a draft.
The survey instrument was developed with advice and guidance from local leaders, including Imani Daniels and Torhera Durand. Daniels is a delegate to the Sixth Constitutional Convention, where she is contributing to efforts to draft the territory's first constitution centered on self-determination, sovereignty and equitable representation.
Durand serves as deputy to the executive director at the UVI Research and Technology Park, an economic development organization that attracts technology and knowledge-based businesses, fosters innovation and builds high-quality jobs for Virgin Islanders.
Residents who participate will complete a confidential, approximately 15-minute online survey covering: awareness and views of the convention; preferences regarding political status; perspectives on voting rights in status and constitutional referenda; perceived autonomy relative to the U.S. federal government; issues of dependency and displacement; and community priorities such as economic development, land and resource protections and institutional trust. Responses will be anonymized and used solely for research purposes.
Island Analytics will manage fieldwork on the ground, with UVI students assisting in outreach and respondent support. Preliminary toplines are expected in early December, with full analyses released publicly once the research team completes standard data-quality checks.
"Listening to residents-systematically and respectfully-is essential to durable, community-centered policy," Salinas-Muñiz said. "We're grateful to our partners at Island Analytics and UVI for making that possible."
Funding for the survey comes from the National Science Foundation Award Number 2315856: Build and Broaden, supporting the Social Science Research Assistance Unit. This phase of work is being led in collaboration with Mayra Velez Serrano, associate professor of political science at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras.
