Voter turnout climbed in the St. Thomas/St. John District Saturday afternoon as Tropical Storm Bertha receded into the distance, but at 3 p.m. still lagged behind the turnout for two of the last three primary elections.
Polls remain open until 7 p.m. Saturday.
According to the Virgin Islands Election System, turnout in the St. Thomas/St. John District reached 12.62 percent by 3 p.m., as 2,886 of the district’s 22,860 voters cast ballots.
In 2010 the voter turnout in the primary had reached 28.2 percent by 3 p.m. That was the election in which Gov. John deJongh Jr. outpolled challenger Adlah Donastorg and Gerard "Luz" James in a heated party primary.
Turnout in the St. Thomas/St. John District was 14.9 percent by 3 p.m. in 2012. In 2008, 11.06 percent of the St. Thomas/St. John District had voted by 3 p.m. In those years there were no gubernatorial elections.
Figures for the 3 p.m. turnout in the St. Croix District were not available Saturday afternoon.
On St. Thomas, the busiest polling places as of 3 p.m. were Sibilly School, 323 ballots cast; Kirwin Terrace, 319; Anna’s Retreat, 237; Addelita Cancryn, 202; EBO, 200.
