Elections officers and witnesses count ballots cast in the St. Croix district yesterday afternoon. Photo: VI Action Group

More than a week after voters went to the polls, United States Virgin Islands election officials are still counting votes in that territory, and they expect to continue counting through tomorrow.

Elections officers and witnesses count ballots cast in the St. Croix district yesterday afternoon. Photo: VI Action Group
Gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Mapp still led the five-person race with 47 percent of votes counted so far Monday night when the elections supervisor’s office issued the most recent update. Fellow contender Donna Christensen had closed Mr. Mapp’s lead somewhat by then, however, with 37 percent of the votes counted so far.

USVI law says that if no candidate gets a majority of the votes, or 50 percent plus one vote, the top two vote getters will face each other in a run-off. The run-off would be held Nov. 18, with the winner replacing Governor John de Jongh Jr. in January.

The St. Thomas-St. John district still had some 1,500 ballots to count as of yesterday. On Monday, the St. Croix district opted to break into two counting teams in order to get through the ballots more quickly, although the decision was criticised by some.

 

See the Nov. 13, 2014 edition for full coverage.

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