The 2018 U.S. Virgin Islands gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to select the governor of the United States Virgin Islands. The election was held concurrently with the 2018 United States midterm elections. On election day, November 6, Bryan earned 38.08% of the vote, with Mapp coming in second with 33.45%. Since no candidate received a majority of the general election vote, as required by the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, a runoff was held 14 days later between Albert Bryan Jr. and Incumbent Governor Kenneth Mapp, the top two vote-getters. On November 20, 2018, Democrat Albert Bryan Jr. won the runoff with 54.5% of the vote. The election marked the first time in 20 years since a sitting governor lost reelection in Virgin Islands history.Turnbull’s Challenge: Turn Words
The incumbent Governor Kenneth Mapp ran for reelection to a second term as an Independent politician with incumbent Lt. Gov. Osbert Potter.The Green Papers: Virgin Islands 2018 General Election Mapp faced off against former Virgin Islands Labor Commissioner Albert Bryan Jr., who won the August 4 Democratic primary; Bryan earned 39.23% of the vote in the primary, defeating Allison "Allie" Petrus (33.67%) and Angel E. Dawson Jr. (26.68%). Also on the November ballot were Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Warren Mosler, Soraya Diase Coffelt, Moleto A. Smith, and Janette Millin Young.
A similar scenario to the 1998 gubernatorial race, where both districts were divided over one candidate for the other. St. Croix largely went for Turnbull while Schneider, the incumbent governor held his lead in St. Thomas/St. John, although a close race in that district. This time around, St. Thomas/St. John largely went for Bryan and Mapp, the incumbent governor dominated St. Croix.
Democratic primary Candidates Albert Bryan, former Labor Commissioner Running mate: Tregenza Roach, territorial senator Angel Dawson Jr., former Finance Commissioner Running mate: Marise James Allison "Allie" Petrus, former territorial senator Running mate: Sammuel Sanes, territorial senator
The 2018 Democratic primary was held on August 4, 2018. The three Democratic hopefuls who ran in the primary were former Finance Commissioner Angel Dawson Jr., former Labor Commissioner Albert Bryan Jr., and former three-term Senator Allison Petrus. Early voting occurred from July 14 to July 25, 2018. According to Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes, turnout was low with some board members expressing disappointment in the numbers. Out of 32,330 registered voters, only 30.61% participated in the primary.
Following a defeat in the primary, both Petrus and Dawson pledged support for the Bryan-Roach campaign going into the general election. At a press conference, the teams came up with “Because we believe in a “Better Tomorrow” (Angel Dawson's slogan), we are now officially “All In” (Allison Petrus's slogan), to “Change Course Now,”Should The Mapp Team Be Concerned? Democrats Display Unity At Press Conference; Pledge Support For Bryan-Roach Campaign
Debates
2018 The Virgin Islands Consortium & WTJX gubernatorial forum Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Angel Dawson Jr. Albert Bryan Allison “Allie” Petrus 1 July 17, 2018 WTJX-TV Ernice Gilbert
Endorsements
Polling places St. Croix - David Canegata Recreation Center, Juanita Gardine Elementary School, Ricardo Richards Elementary School, Claude Markoe Elementary School, St. Croix Educational Complex; St. Thomas - Lockhart Elementary School, Charles W. Turnbull Regional Library, UVI Sports and Fitness Center; St. John - Julius Sprauve School
Results
By precinct Precinct Dawson Bryan Petrus Write-in Total Alexander Henderson 107 (33.86%) 141 (44.62%) 67 (21.20%) 1 (0.32%) 316 Claude O. Markoe 81 (32.27%)116 (46.22%) 53 (21.12%) 1 (0.40%) 251 Evelyn M. Williams ES 67 (26.38%)117 (46.06%) 69 (27.17%) 1 (0.39%) 254 Eulalie R. Rivera ES 57 (27.40%) 90 (43.27%) 59 (28.37%) 2 (0.96%) 208 Alfredo Andrews ES 55 (44.35%) 29 (23.39%) 37 (29.84%) 3 (2.42%) 124 Ricardo Richards ES 123 (33.33%) 137 (37.13%) 107 (29.00%) 2 (0.54%) 369 Lew Muckle ES 125(42.52%) 108 (36.73%) 60 (20.41%) 1 (0.34%) 294 Juanita Gardine ES 124 (35.03%) 138 (38.98%) 92 (25.99%) — 354 John F. Kennedy Terrace 28 (30.77%) 29 (31.87%) 34 (37.36%) — 91 Elena L. Christian JHS 114 (32.57%) 134 (38.29%) 100 (28.57%) 2 (0.57%) 350 Pearl B. Larsen ES 116 (36.14%) 104 (32.40%) 101 (31.46%) — 321 St. Croix Educational Complex 92 (33.33%) 107 (38.77%) 77 (27.90%) — 276 Florence Williams Library 36 (32.14%) 50 (44.64%) 26 (23.21%) — 112 Ivanna Eudora Kean 38 (17.84%) 93 (43.66%) 82 (38.50%) — 213 Joseph A. Gomez ES 81 (21.43%) 147 (38.77%) 149(39.42%) 1 (0.26%) 378 Bertha C. Boschulte 40 (17.09%) 113 (48.29%) 80 (34.19%) 1 (0.43%) 234 CAHS Gym 104 (21.14%) 208 (42.28%) 177 (35.98%) 3 (0.61%) 492 Oswald Harris Court 33 (25.98%) 49 (38.58%) 45 (35.43%) — 127 Winston Raymo Rec. Center 82 (34.75%) 84 (35.59%) 69 (29.24%) 1 (0.42%) 236 Gladys A. Abraham ES 170 (24.05%) 267 (37.77%) 269 (38.05%) 1 (0.14%) 707 Addelita Cancryn JHS 156 (22.54%) 270 (39.02%) 262 (37.86%) 4 (0.58%) 692 Joseph Sibilly ES - Bldg A 66 (22.84%) 119 (41.18%) 102 (35.29%) 2 (0.69%) 289 Joseph Sibilly ES - Bldg B 51 (23.72%) 72 (33.49%) 92 (42.79%) — 215 Julius E. Sprauve ES 31 (16.32%) 79(41.58%) 78 (41.05%) 2 (1.05%) 190 Guy Benjamin School 16 (37.21%) 12 (27.91%) 15 (34.88%) — 43 Charles W. Turnbull Library 129 (17.53%) 280 (38.04%) 322 (43.75%) 5 0.68%) 736 STT/STJ Absentee 111 (22.89%) 172 (35.46%) 200 (41.24%) 2 (0.41%) 485
General election
Debates 2018 WTJX & League of Women Voters lieutenant gubernatorial debate Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Osbert Potter Dwight Nicholson Alicia "Chucky" Hansen Ray Fonseca Tregenza Roach Hubert Frederick Edgar Bengoa 1 October 17, 2018 WTJX-TV PBSPBS
2018 WTJX & League of Women Voters gubernatorial debate Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Kenneth Mapp Soraya Diase Coffelt Adlah Donastorg Jr. Warren Mosler Albert Bryan Moleto Smith Janette Millin-Young 1 October 18, 2018 WTJX-TV PBSPBS
Post-primary endorsements
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Respondents Samplesize Marginof error AlbertBryan (D) KennethMapp (I) WarrenMosler (I) AdlahDonastorg (I) SorayaDiase Coffelt (I) JanetteMillin Young (I) MoletoA. Smith (I) UndecidedVI Tech StackVI Tech Stack September 29-October 1, 2018 Territorial 800 – 23% 23% 7% 6% 5% 1% 1% 33%VI Tech Stack September 29-October 1, 2018 St. Thomas/St. John - - 29% 13% 4% 7% 8% 2% 2% 35%VI Tech Stack September 29-October 1, 2018 St. Croix - - 17% 32% 10% 5% 3% 1% 1% 32%VI Tech StackVI Tech Stack October 27–30, 2018 Territorial 800 – 31% 25% 7% 11% 5% 2% 1% 18%
Poll source School district Date(s)administered Albert Bryan & Tregenza Roach Kenneth. Mapp & Osbert E. Potter Janette Millin Young & Edgar Bengoa Adlah Donastorg & Alicia Hansen Soraya Coffelt & Dwight Nicholson Warren Molser & Ray Fonseca Moleto A. Smith & Hubert FredrickJoseph A. Gomez Elementary School St. Thomas/St. John November 5, 2018 113 73 63 47 37 9 9 Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School St. Thomas/St. John 138 73 55 89 31 10 9 St. Croix Central High School St. Croix 61 211 15 294 42 0 16IEKHS St. Thomas/St. John 171 48 60 75 34 10 10
Results
By district District Bryan Mapp Donastorg (I) Mosler (I) Diase-Coffelt (I) Smith (I) Millin-Young (I) Write-in Total St. Croix First round: 1,520(22.72%) Second round: 3,838(34.90%) First round: 3,320(49.93%) Second round: 7,133(64.86%) 1,023(15.29%) 470(7.03%) 238(3.56%) 54(0.81%) 33(0.49%) First round: 11(0.16%) Second round: 26(0.24%) First round: 6,669Second round: 10,997 St. Thomas/St. John First round: 2,679(42.51%) Second round: 7,958(74.86%) First round: 1,258(25.52%) Second round: 2,633(24.77%) 1,608(19.96%) 314(4.98%) 221(3.51%) 138(2.19%) 79(1.25%) First round: 5(0.08%) Second round: 40(0.38%) First round: 6,301Second round: 10,591
By precinct