The 2022 U.S. Virgin Islands gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of the United States Virgin Islands. The election was held concurrently with the 2022 United States midterm elections.

Incumbent Democratic governor Albert Bryan won a second four-year term in office, receiving 56% of the vote. He defeated Independent candidate and territorial senator Kurt Vialet, independent activist Ronald Pickard, and former senator Stephen Frett of the Independent Citizens Movement.

Democratic primary Candidates Governor: Albert Bryan, incumbent Governor Lieutenant Governor: Tregenza Roach, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Defeated in primary Kent Bernier Sr. Oakland Benta, former Virgin Islands Senator

The 2022 Democratic primary for governor was held on August 6, 2022. Incumbents Governor Albert Bryan and Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach were challenged by Kent Bernier Sr. and his running mate, Oakland Benta. Early voting took place July 18 through August 1, 2022. On election night, unofficial results indicated Bryan won the nomination with 4,016 votes over Bernier, who received 2,146 votes.

Debates The Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands scheduled a gubernatorial forum with WTJX for July 14, 2022. Three days prior, the Bernier-Benta team withdrew from the forum and insisted a debate with Bryan and Roach.

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AlbertBryan (D) KentBernier (D) NoneI AM LLCI AM LLC June 5, 2022 752 ±3.53 61% 23% 15%June 30, 2022 59% 24% 15%

Results Territorial

St. Croix

St. Thomas/St. John

By precinct Precinct Bryan Bernier Write-in Total Alexander Henderson 178178 — 356 Claude O. Markoe 98129 5 232 Evelyn M. Williams 141158 2 301 Eulalie R. Rivera 8195 1 177 Alfredo Andrews 60 47 1 108 St. Croix Educational Complex 121125 2 248 Ricardo Richards174 128 1 303 Lew Muckle135 127 2 264 Juanita Gardine183 125 — 308 John F. Kennedy Terrace 41 39 1 81 Elena L. Christian 159 99 2 260 Pearl B. Larsen 173 72 — 245 Florence Williams Library 57 48 — 105 Ivanna Eudora Kean 128 38 — 166 Joseph A. Gomez 200 54 1 255 Bertha C. Boschulte 136 50 4 190 CAHS Gym 278 113 3 394 Oswald Harris Court 53 18 1 72 Winston Raymo Rec. Center 126 48 — 174 Gladys A. Abraham 430 121 2 553 Addelita Cancryn 346 126 5 477 Joseph Sibilly 242 62 1 305 Charles W. Turnbull Regional Library 401 114 3 518 Julius E. Sprauve 106 34 3 143 Guy Benjamin 13 2 — 15 STX Absentee 55 50 — 105 STX Provisional — — — — STT/STJ Absentee 127 32 — 159 STT/STJ Provisional — — — —

General election

The general election was held on November 8, 2022, with incumbent governor Albert Bryan facing three candidates: St. Croix Senator Kurt Vialet, former police officer Ronald Pickard, and former senator Stephen Frett. Early voting started October 10 and ran through October 31, 2022.

Another divisive election, Sarauw again faced questions about her tenure at CAHS as a teacher, which was mentioned during her 2016 senatorial bid. She pushed back by stating the reprimand letter was for being the most inspiring teacher during the 2009–2010 school year, and an honor from the Middle States Association and any unbecoming behavior she may have exhibited during her tenure as an educator at CAHS, could also be attributed to her age, 21 at the time. "I was 21, I was a baby. I was 21 then, I'm making 37 in two days, and people grow, evolve and they mature."

At a virtual campaign rally, Bryan supporter & Calypsonian King Derby referred to Sarauw as "he/she" and Vialet as "that long-neck fella." The commentary drew outcry from the community, which led to Bryan apologizing days later.

On election day, incumbents Governor Albert Bryan and Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach won 12,157 votes (56.14%), while their closest rivals, Kurt Vialet and Janelle Sarauw, received 8,244 votes (38.07%). Election results were certified a few days later. In December 2022, the FBI conducted an investigation into the 2022 election vote count following complaints.

The Bryan-Roach campaign was fined $2,000 by the Elections System for fundraising with Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on September 27, 2022.

Debates 2022 AARP VI & WTJX gubernatorial forum Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee   Withdrawn Albert Bryan Kurt Vialet Ronald Pickard 1 October 1, 2022 WTJX-TV LaVerne E. Ragster, Susan V. EllisPBSPBS

2022 Virgin Islands Consortium & WTJX lieutenant gubernatorial debate Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee   Withdrawn Tregenza Roach Janelle Sarauw 1 October 10, 2022 WTJX-TV Ernice Gilbert PBSPBS

2022 Virgin Islands Consortium & WTJX gubernatorial debate Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee   Withdrawn Albert Bryan Kurt Vialet 1 October 13, 2022 WTJX-TV Ernice Gilbert PBSPBS

Endorsements

Polling

Poll source Date(s)administered Respondents Samplesize Marginof error KurtVialet (I) AlbertBryan (D) Stephen Frett (ICM) RonaldPickard (I) UndecidedNoneI AM LLC May 10, 2022 Territorial 400 – 29% 33% – 9% 16%I AM LLC May 10, 2022 St. Croix 400 – 44% 20%I AM LLC May 10, 2022 St. Thomas/St. John 400 – 14% 46%VI Tech StackVI Tech Stack September 7–13, 2022 Territorial ± 3.82% 650 25% 48% 1% 1% 23%VI Tech Stack September 7–13, 2022 St. Thomas/St. John 400 ± 4.86% 18% 58% 0% 1% 21%VI Tech Stack September 7–13, 2022 St. Croix 250 ± 6.17% 34% 37% 0% 1% 25%I AM LLC October 31, 2022 Territorial 423 ± 4.74% 44% 40% 4% 0% 10%I AM LLC October 31, 2022 St. Croix 224 ± 6.53% 46% 42% 6% 1% 3%I AM LLC October 31, 2022 St. Thomas 199 ± 6.92% 38% 38% 3% 0% 19%I AM LLC October 31, 2022 St. John 199 ± 6.92% 66% 22% 0% 0% 11%

Poll source School district Date(s)administered Vialet / Sarauw Bryan / Roach Pickard / Turnbull Frett / MillerIEKHSIEKHS St. Thomas/St. John October 21, 2022 167 155 87 46CAHS St. Thomas/St. John October 21–25, 2022 185 173 79 29St. Croix Educational Complex St. Croix October 21, 2022 283 120 16 42St. Croix Central High School St. Croix October 28, 2022 279 226 23 38 Lew Muckle Elementary School St. Croix — 53 26 6 0

Results

By district District Bryan (D) Vialet (I) Frett (I) Pickard (I) Write-in Total St. Croix 4,502(43.35%)5,378(51.79%) 213(2.05%) 126(1.21%) 166(1.6%) 10,385St. Thomas/St. John 7,042(68.48%) 2,548(24.78%) 492(4.78%) 112(1.09%) 90(0.88%) 10,284

By precinct Note: Pearl B. Larsen precinct flipped from Independent to Democratic. While Guy Benjamin precinct flipped from Democratic hold to Independent for the first time.

Precinct Bryan Vialet Frett Pickard Write-in Total Alexander Henderson 428587 37 12 21 1,085 Claude O. Markoe 292442 30 12 20 796 Evelyn Williams 421529 9 11 33 1,003 Eulalie R. Rivera 285399 10 8 8 710 Alfredo Andrews 205231 6 8 3 450 St. Croix Educational Complex 376544 33 10 20 983 Ricardo Richards 492473 13 9 12 999 Lew Muckle 338510 18 14 8 888 Juanita Gardine 442483 17 16 10 968 John F. Kennedy Terrace 117165 1 4 4 291 Elena L. Christian 455494 15 5 9 978 Pearl B. Larsen516 321 14 8 8 867 Florence A. Williams Library 157181 10 9 10 367 Ivanna Eudora Kean 435 143 29 5 4 616 Joseph A. Gomez 497 169 33 6 4 709 Bertha C. Boschulte 438 148 31 11 3 631 CAHS Gymnasium 739 242 61 18 9 1,069 Oswald Harris Court 156 87 18 4 2 267 Winston Raymo Rec. Center 357 110 26 6 10 509 Gladys Abraham 1,066 352 64 12 18 1,512 Addelita Cancryn 1,023 350 98 19 16 1,506 Joseph Sibilly 767 258 34 9 8 1,076 Charles W. Turnbull Library 1,145 367 81 16 16 1,625 Julius E. Sprauve 360 230 14 2 0 606 Guy Benjamin 59 92 3 4 0 158 STX Absentee 165 204 6 2 4 381 STT/STJ Absentee 397 91 28 2 11 529 STT/STJ Provisional 51 23 1 1 1 77

References