The election victory by Jenelle K. Sarauw will see her make a return to elected office after nearly four years outside the Legislature. Photo: VI Consortium

The decisive victory sends Jenelle K. Sarauw to Washington as Stacey E. Plaskett (in photo) prepares to become the territory's governor. Photo: WJTX.ORG

Sarauw, the Democratic nominee, defeated independent candidate Shelley A. H. Moorhead by more than 9,400 votes to secure the seat left vacant by Stacey E. Plaskett, who was voted in as governor in the same general election.

The election victory by Sarauw will see her make a return to elected office after nearly four years outside the Legislature.

VI Consortium reported that Sarauw received 13,029 votes, representing 76.93 percent of the 16,936 votes recorded in the contest, according to combined unofficial early-voting and Election Day results released by the Elections System of the Virgin Islands. Moorhead received 3,586 votes, or 21.17 percent, while another 321 votes were recorded as write-ins.

The Elections System's unofficial results, according to VI Consortium, show that Sarauw won a clear majority, comfortably exceeding the threshold required under federal law and eliminating the need for a runoff based on the reported returns.