Ann Arbor Times

A new public opinion survey will be conducted by University of Michigan researchers across the U.S. Virgin Islands in connection with the territory’s Sixth Constitutional Convention. The goal is to independently assess how residents view the convention process and what political priorities they have in the coming months.

The project is led by Mara Cecilia Ostfeld, research associate professor at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and Ignangeli Salinas-Muñiz, a doctoral candidate in political science at the university. Island Analytics will field the survey with assistance 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,” said Ostfeld. “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 operates as an unincorporated U.S. territory under federal law and the Revised Organic Act. Constitutional conventions are used locally to propose a home-rule constitution within this framework. Since the 1960s, several conventions and referenda have aimed for greater self-government but have faced challenges such as low turnout or disputes over specific provisions.

Development of the survey instrument included input from local leaders like Imani Daniels—a delegate to the Sixth Constitutional Convention—and Torhera Durand, deputy to the executive director at UVI Research and Technology Park.

Residents participating in the approximately 15-minute online survey will answer questions about their awareness of and opinions on the convention; preferences regarding political status; perspectives on voting rights in constitutional referenda; perceptions of autonomy relative to federal government; issues related to dependency or displacement; and community priorities including economic development, land protections, resource management, and trust in institutions. All responses will remain confidential and anonymized for research purposes.

Island Analytics will oversee fieldwork locally with support from UVI students who will assist with outreach efforts. Preliminary findings are expected by early December after standard data-quality checks are completed.

“Listening to residents—systematically and respectfully—is essential to durable, community-centered policy,” said Salinas-Muñiz. “We’re grateful to our partners at Island Analytics and UVI for making that possible.”

Funding comes from National Science Foundation Award Number 2315856: Build and Broaden initiative supporting social science research collaboration between institutions including University of Michigan Ann Arbor and University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras.