Gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Mapp, in an exclusive interview with the VI Consortium on Wednesday, said his supporters should be prepared for a runoff because the race is simply too close to call.
I have been admonishing my folks to be prepared for a runoff — there’s some debate about that, but being realistic, we’re looking at that, and we’re just excited. It’s going to be a great time of opportunity, and the community continues to support us and give us what appears to be a successful effort.
Mapp told this reporter that he was “very excited” with six more days to go before the General Election, and that the reaction of the community has been “overwhelming, warm and gracious.” He also said the people were thrusting a lot of responsibility on him and Osbert Potter, his running mate.
The former Lieutenant Governor added that, once in office, his team will be able to work with the community to do some “very positive and powerful things for the people of the Virgin Islands.”
VI Consortium’s own poll, with over 2,000 votes cast, reveal a race with no winner, and one that is too close to call. In it, Christensen-Ottley leads the pack with 40 percent of the votes, Mapp-Potter with 38 percent, Diase-Coffelt-Canegata with 13 percent, Barnes-Coram with 7 percent and the Scallion-Quinn team with 2 percent of the vote.
In order to win a gubernatorial election in the Virgin Islands, a candidate must receive over 50 percent of the votes. If no candidate reaches that amount, the two highest vote getters will go into a runoff election.
Election Day is November 4, and while many Virgin Islanders are getting ready to play their role in the process, the Joint Boards of Elections have yet to rectify some serious issues as it relates to voting. Details here and here.
Photo Credit: Kendall Jones
Frederiksted Waterfront, St. Croix
Tags: runoff