PLASKETT WINS GOVERNOR'S RACE WITH 63% OF VOTE; SARAUW DOMINATES DELEGATE CONTEST
Territorial election report shows more than 20,000 ballots cast as voters decide leadership across the U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The unofficial results of the November 3, 2026 General Election show a decisive victory for Stacey E. Plaskett in the race for governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, while Janelle K. Sarauw secured a commanding lead in the contest for Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to the Territorial Election Summary Results Report released November 4, a total of 20,394 ballots were cast across the territory. Of those, 7,805 were cast on Election Day, 12,242 through early voting and 347 through absentee voting.
The results reflect a significant level of participation through early voting, which accounted for approximately 60% of all ballots cast.
Plaskett secures commanding gubernatorial victory
Stacey E. Plaskett, running on the Democratic ticket, won the gubernatorial contest with 12,079 votes, representing 62.82% of the reported vote.
Independent candidate Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg finished second with 2,535 votes (13.18%), followed by Oakland Benta with 2,321 votes (12.07%).
Warren Mosler received 1,315 votes (6.84%), while Gustav James received 653 votes (3.40%). Write-in candidates collectively received 324 votes.
Plaskett's margin over the second-place candidate was substantial, securing more than 12,000 votes across the territory.
Her victory marks a historic political milestone, as she becomes the first woman elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Sarauw leads Delegate race
In the contest for Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Janelle K. Sarauw emerged with a commanding victory.
Sarauw received 13,255 votes, representing 76.86% of the vote. Independent candidate Shelley A. H. Moorhead received 3,648 votes, or 21.15%.
Write-in candidates received 342 votes.
Sarauw's victory represents a substantial margin, with her receiving more than three-quarters of the votes recorded in the contest.
Hadiya Sewer wins At-Large Senate seat
The At-Large legislative contest also produced a clear winner.
Independent candidate Hadiya Sewer secured 9,981 votes, representing 61.03% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Angel Bolques Jr., who received 6,319 votes (38.64%).
Sewer's victory gives her the At-Large seat in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.
St. Croix legislative race produces seven leading candidates
The St. Croix legislative contest featured a crowded field of candidates competing for seven available seats.
According to the unofficial results, the seven leading candidates were:
Kurt Vialet — 6,577 votes
Kenneth "Kenny" Gittens — 4,459 votes
Franklin D. Johnson — 4,209 votes
Clifford A. Joseph — 4,075 votes
Lisa J. Charles — 3,766 votes
Nemmy Williams-Jackson — 3,757 votes
Jose "Besse" Gonzalez — 3,739 votes
The results show Vialet finishing comfortably ahead of the field, while the contest for the remaining positions was considerably closer.
Gonzalez secured the seventh position, finishing just 18 votes ahead of the next candidate, Nellie Rivera O'Reilly, who received 3,038?
The St. Thomas–St. John legislative contest also featured a competitive field, with seven seats available.
The seven leading candidates were:
Imani Daniel — 4,590 votes
Alma Francis Heyliger — 4,562 votes
Avery L. Lewis — 4,504 votes
Marvin A. Blyden — 3,971 votes
Rudel A. Hodge Jr. — 3,878 votes
Sennai Habtes — 3,671 votes
Carla Joseph — 3,517 votes
The top three candidates were separated by relatively narrow margins, with just 86 votes separating first-place finisher Imani Daniel from third-place finisher Avery Lewis.
Education and Elections Boards
The election also determined
representation on the territory's education and elections boards.
On St. Croix, Vincent H.A. Gordon Jr. received the highest number of votes for the Board of Education with 3,322, followed by Lucy M. Jackson with 3,137. Those were the two leading candidates in the contest for two positions.
For St. Thomas–St. John, Judy M. Gomez led the Board of Education race with 5,107 votes, followed by Arah C. Lockhart with 4,004.
In the St. Croix Board of Elections contest, Shamari I. Haynes led with 4,394 votes, followed by Mary "Peggy" Moorhead with 3,314 and Kareem T. Francis with 2,805.
For the St. John Board of Elections seat, Raven Phillips secured 3,522 votes, defeating Preston R. Evans, who received 2,114.
Meanwhile, in the St. Thomas Board of Elections contest, Barbara A. Petersen led with 3,866 votes, followed by Kevin A. Rodriquez with 3,684. Harriet A. Mercer received 2,962.
Early voting played a major role
One of the most notable figures in the territorial report is the number of residents who chose to vote before Election Day.
Of the 20,394 ballots cast, 12,242 came through early voting, compared with 7,805 on Election Day and 347 absentee ballots.
The figures highlight the important role early voting played in the 2026 election.
The results remain unofficial pending the completion of the election certification process.
For the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 2026 election represents a major political transition, with voters selecting a new governor, Delegate to Congress, At-Large senator, district senators and members of the territory's education and elections boards.
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