The 1978 United States Virgin Islands general election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect public officials in the United States Virgin Islands.

1978 United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election

← 1974 November 7, 1978 1982 →
 
Nominee Juan Francisco Luis Ron de Lugo
Party Independent Democratic
Running mate Henry A. Millin Eric E. Dawson
Popular vote 12,100 8,111
Percentage 59.87% 40.13%

Results by island

Governor before election

Juan Francisco Luis
Independent

Elected Governor

Juan Francisco Luis
Independent

Losing candidates often did not have their political affiliations listed on election returns.

Gubernatorial election

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The 1978 Virgin Islands gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent governor Juan Francisco Luis, who succeeded to office upon the death of Cyril King, defeated U.S. House delegate Ron de Lugo in the general election.

Results

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1978 United States House of Representatives election in the Virgin Islands[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Juan Francisco Luis 12,100 59.87%
Democratic Ron de Lugo 8,111 40.13%
Total votes 20,113 100%
Independent hold

Results by island

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Island Luis Lugo Margin
St. Croix 6,570 67.94% 3,100 32.06% +35.88
St. John 425 75.76% 136 24.24% +51.52
St. Thomas 4,905 50.15% 4,875 49.85% +0.30

Territorial Legislature

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Senator At Large
CandidatePartyVotes%
Cleone Creque HodgeDemocratic Party11,687100.00
Total11,687100.00
Source: [1]
St. Thomas/St. John
CandidatePartyVotes%
Michel PaiewonskyDemocratic Party7,61513.37
Athniel C. OttleyDemocratic Party7,56013.28
Lloyd L. WilliamsDemocratic Party6,81811.97
Elmo D. RoebuckDemocratic Party6,66611.71
Earle B. OttleyDemocratic Party5,96510.48
Alli J. PaulIndependent5,4609.59
John L. MaduroDemocratic Party4,9598.71
Roger C. Hill4,7258.30
John P. CollinsIndependent2,7954.91
Rahim Khabib1,7803.13
Harold MollerIndependent1,4172.49
Glanfield Orascio TestamarkIndependent1,1812.07
Total56,941100.00
Source: [1]
St. Croix
CandidatePartyVotes%
Sidney LeeDemocratic Party5,35210.17
Leroy S. ArnoldDemocratic Party4,8109.14
Williams S. HarveyDemocratic Party4,0947.78
Ruby M. RoussDemocratic Party4,0567.71
John A. BellIndependent3,9137.44
Eddy RiveraDemocratic Party3,7917.20
Hector L. CintronIndependent3,4876.63
Edgar M. Iles3,2726.22
James Bennerson3,0425.78
Ann E. AmbramsonIndependent2,6124.96
Helen I. JosephIndependent2,2524.28
Holland L. Redfield IIIndependent2,1064.00
Claude A. MolloyIndependent1,9593.72
G. Luz A. JamesIndependent1,8663.55
Jessica Tutein MoolenaarIndependent1,3112.49
Leona WatsonIndependent9831.87
Dante R. RossiIndependent9801.86
Earl S. WalkerIndependent8721.66
J. Robert SmithIndependent7121.35
Edric W. StanleyIndependent5010.95
Jose A. PereiraIndependent4120.78
Faith Dane JohnsonIndependent2440.46
Total52,627100.00
Source: [1]

Delegate to the United States House of Representatives

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1978 United States House of Representatives election in the Virgin Islands
 
← 1976 November 7, 1978 1980 →
     
Nominee Melvin H. Evans Jan Watlington
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 10,539 9,574
Percentage 52.40% 47.60%

 
Results by island

Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives before election

Ron de Lugo
Democratic

Elected Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives

Melvin H. Evans
Republican

The 1978 United States House of Representatives election in the Virgin Islands took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democrat Ron de Lugo retired to run for Governor, leaving the seat open. Republican Melvin H. Evans was elected by a narrow margin to only first 2-year term.

As of April 2024, this is the last time a Republican has won a U.S. House election in the Virgin Islands.

Democratic primary

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1978 United States House of Representatives election in the Virgin Islands, Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jan Watlington 4,758 51.58%
Democratic Julio A. Brady 4,467 48.42%
Total votes 9,225 100%

General election

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1978 United States House of Representatives election in the Virgin Islands[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melvin H. Evans 10,539 52.40%
Democratic Jan Watlington 9,574 47.60%
Total votes 20,113 100%
Republican gain from Democratic

Results by island

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Island Evans Waltington Margin
St. Croix 6,066 62.90% 3,578 37.10% +25.80
St. John 363 63.46% 209 36.54% +26.92
St. Thomas 4,110 41.53% 5,787 58.47% +16.94


References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "STATISTICAL RECAPITULATION OF 1978 ELECTIONS ACCORDING TO POLLING PLACES" (PDF). VI Vote. Retrieved 25 April 2024.