CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Gov. Kenneth Mapp and Democratic challenger Albert Bryan Jr. are in a statistical dead heat in the weeks leading up to the November 6th general election, according to a new poll released yesterday.
The University of the Virgin Islands poll said that Mapp and Bryan are tied with 23 percent of the vote each. But the largest block of territorial voters weighed in as “undecided” at 33 percent.
The poll was conducted by V.I. Tech Stack and the UVI Institute for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (ILOE) and shows Bryan out in front of Mapp in the St. Thomas/St. John district with 29 percent to Mapp’s 13 percent. But the numbers reverse on St. Croix with the governor having a significant lead with 32 percent to Bryan’s 17 percent.
The five remaining candidates, according to the poll, had some work to do: Warren Mosler with seven percent; Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg with six percent; Soraya Diase Coffelt with five percent; Janette Millin Young and Moleto A. Smith each at one percent and the number of undecided was 33 percent.
The poll was conducted September 29 through October 1, through a combination of online interviews and automated phone calls using a list of 800 registered voters. The poll has a 3.46 percent margin of error.
In 1998, an unproven democratic challenger by the name of Charles Wesley Turnbull challenged incumbent Gov. Roy Lester Schneider for the highest office in the land and won — it was the first time an incumbent democratically-elected governor did not win re-election in the history of the Virgin Islands.
Many people who voted for soon-to-be Gov. Charles Turnbull, a former Commissioner of Education, said that they were unhappy with Schneider’s performance in office and would have voted for anyone but him.
Mapp could find himself in the same position after a runoff election on November 20.
He was the successful running mate of Schneider in 1994. The two parted ways after their first term together.
Here are the poll results:
Poll Results in Governor’s race
In the St. Thomas/St. John District
–Albert Bryan Jr. 29%;
–Kenneth E. Mapp 13%;
–Soraya Diase Coffelt 8%;
–Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg 7%;
–Warren Mosler 4%;
–Moleto A. Smith 2%;
–Janette Millin Young 2%;
–Undecided 35%.
In the Saint Croix District
–Kenneth E. Mapp 32%;
–Albert Bryan Jr. 17%;
– Warren Mosler 10%
– Allah “Foncie” Donastorg 5%
–Soraya Diase Coffelt 3%;
–Janette Millin Young 1%;
–Moleto A. Smith 1%;
–Undecided 32% .
Territory-wide
–Kenneth E. Mapp 23%;
–Albert Bryan Jr. 23%;
–Warren Mosler 7%;
–Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg 6%;
–Soraya Diase Coffelt 5%;
–Janette Millin Young 1%;
–Moleto A. Smith 1%;
–Undecided 33%.
Senator At-Large Poll Percentages
In the St. Thomas/St. John District
–Steven D. Payne 24%;
–Angel L. Bolques 16%;
–Sherry-Ann Francis 12%;
–Undecided 49%.
In the St. Croix District
–Steven D. Payne 19%;
–Angel L. Bolques 12%;
–Sherry-Ann Francis 11%;
–Undecided 59%.
Territory-wide
–Steven D. Payne 22%;
–Angel L. Bolques 14%;
–Sherry-Ann Francis 11%;
–Undecided 54%.
Poll Results in the Senatorial race
In the St. Thomas/St John District
–Donna Frett-Gregory 10%;
–Janelle K. Sarauw 9%;
–Athneil “Bobby” Thomas 8%;
–Myron Jackson 6%;
–Marvin A. Blyden 6%;
–Dwayne M. DeGraff 4%;
–Stedmann Hodge Jr. 4%;
–Jean A. Ford 3%;
–Carla Joseph 3%;
–Alma Francis-Heyliger 3%;;
–Stephen “Smokey” Frett 2%;
–Irvin Punda Mason, Sr. 2%;
–Delores Todman 1%;
–Bruce Flamon 1%;
In the St. Croix District
–Allison DeGazon 14%;
–Alicia Barnes 10%;
–Javon James 8%;
–Kurt Vialet 7%;
–Novell E. Francis Jr. 6%;
–Oakland Benta 4%;
–Genevieve Whitaker 3%;
–Daren “Bogle” Stevens 3%;
–Lilliana Belardo de O’Neal 2%;
–Malik Stridiron 2%;
–Emmett Hansen 1%;
–Robert Moorhead 1%;
–Michael J. Springer Jr. 1%;
–Patricia James 1%;
–Carew Felix 1%;
–Undecided 32%
