In a landslide victory, Delegate to Congress Stacey E. Plaskett was elected governor of the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in that territory's 2026 general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: VI Consortium

Plaskett also made American political history by becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a US state or territory.

According to the VI Consortium, Plaskett is also the first woman elected to lead the territory since Virgin Islanders gained the right to choose their own governor more than half a century ago.

Plaskett and her running mate, Senate President Milton E. Potter, received 11,865 votes, representing 62.8 percent of votes cast in the gubernatorial contest, according to unofficial returns released by the Elections System of the Virgin Islands. The Democratic ticket defeated four independent tickets, winning more votes than all its opponents combined and securing the majority required to avoid a runoff.

Plaskett's victory, according to VI Consortium, establishes a milestone extending far beyond the Virgin Islands. Although women have previously served as governors of US states and territories, no Black woman had been elected to a governorship anywhere in the United States before Tuesday's historic result.

More details to follow.