More than 12,000 residents of the US Virgin Islands voted early in the 2026 general election, the Supervisor of Elections announced October 31, marking a dramatic surge compared with prior contests for governor and lieutenant governor.
Supervisor Caroline F. Fawkes reported that 12,242 people participated in early voting, with 6,217 casting ballots on St. Croix, 5,624 on St. Thomas and 401 on St. John. These figures represent 38 percent of active registered voters across the territory.
Early voting wrapped up Saturday, October 31. The Elections System's final tally was 2,470 ballots higher than its count through October 29, meaning roughly one-fifth of all early votes arrived in the last two days of the period.
St. Croix led in raw numbers, accounting for about 50.8 percent of early turnout, followed by St. Thomas at 45.9 percent and St. John at 3.3 percent. All three islands exceeded their early-voting performance in the August primary and in the 2022 and 2024 general elections.
Sharp jump from primary
Early participation climbed approximately 72.1 percent compared with the August 1 primary, when 7,113 voters cast ballots before Election Day. St. Croix saw the steepest increase, rising from 3,461 primary early voters to 6,217 in the general election, a gain of 79.6 percent. St. Thomas grew from 3,444 to 5,624, up 63.3 percent. St. John jumped from 208 to 401, a 92.8 percent rise.
The Elections System cautioned that these comparisons need context. Primary voting was limited to registered Democrats, whereas the general election welcomes all eligible voters. The general election also offered a longer early-voting window, which may explain part of the increase.
Exceeds 2024, edges 2022
The 2026 early count surpassed 2024's 6,832 early voters by approximately 79.2 percent. The comparison to 2022, the last gubernatorial election, shows a more modest picture: this year's 12,242 early voters exceeded that year's 11,849 by just 393, or roughly 3.3 percent.
Polls open Tuesday
Voting takes place Tuesday, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. AST. Voters may select any polling centre within their district rather than being confined to a single neighbourhood location. Anyone still in line when polls close will be allowed to vote.
Five tickets are competing for governor and lieutenant governor: Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Positive Nelson; Warren Mosler and Colin Robertson; Stacey E. Plaskett and Milton E. Potter; Oakland Benta and Merwin Potter; and Gustav James and Randolph Bennett. Voters select both positions as a single ticket.
A candidate ticket must win a majority to be elected. If no ticket achieves that threshold, the top two advance to a runoff on November 17. The Elections System has scheduled certification of results for November 13.
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