48 U.S.C. § 1595 — Vacancy in office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor

(a) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Governor In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor must have the powers of the Governor. (b) Permanent vacancy in office of Governor; Lieutenant Governor as Governor; term of office In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Governor, arising by reason of the death, resignation, removal by recall or permanent disability of the Governor, or the death, resignation, or permanent disability of a Governor-elect, or for any other reason, the Lieutenant Governor or Lieutenant Governor-elect must become the Governor, to hold office for the unexpired term and until he or his successor must have been duly elected and qualified at the next regular election for Governor. (c) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Lieutenant Governor; president of legislature as Lieutenant Governor In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of the Lieutenant Governor, or during any period when the Lieutenant Governor is acting as Governor, the president of the legislature must act as Lieutenant Governor. (d) Permanent vacancy in office of Lieutenant Governor; Governor to appoint new Lieutenant Governor with advice and consent of legislature; term of office In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor, arising by reason of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of the Lieutenant Governor, or because the Lieutenant Governor or Lieutenant Governor-elect has succeeded to the office of Governor, the Governor must appoint a new Lieutenant Governor, with the advice and consent of the legislature, to hold office for the unexpired term and until he or his successor must have been duly elected and qualified at the next regular election for Lieutenant Governor. (e) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Governor and Lieutenant Governor; appointment of Acting Governor; permanent vacancies in offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor; appointment of Governor In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of both the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor, the powers of the Governor must be exercised, as Acting Governor, by such person as the laws of the Virgin Islands may prescribe. In case of a permanent vacancy in the offices of both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the office of Governor must be filled for the unexpired term in the manner prescribed by the laws of the Virgin Islands. (f) Additional compensation No additional compensation must be paid to any person acting as Governor or Lieutenant Governor who does not also assume the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor under the provisions of this chapter.