Puerto Rico awaits final result in tight gubernatorial race

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — People across Puerto Rico awaited final results Wednesday following elections that saw long lines of voters and produced a tight gubernatorial race in the U.S. Caribbean territory.

Pedro Pierluisi of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party held a slight lead over Carlos Delgado of the Popular Democratic Party, which supports the island's current status. More than 12,000 votes separated the top two candidates after counting more than 95% of the ballots cast Tuesday as well as some returns from early and absentee ballots, which were also still being tallied.

Pierluisi celebrated the early results and held a news conference, while Delgado said shortly after midnight that he would await final results.

“It's irresponsible,” Delgado said of Pierluisi's actions.

Meanwhile, Jenniffer González, Puerto Rico’s current representative in U.S. Congress and Pierluisi's running partner, easily won a second term.

The preliminary results disappointed voters like 69-year-old David Jorge Santos, who said he had been a longtime supporter of one of the two main parties, though he declined to say which. But this year, he voted for a new party because he said the New Progressives and Popular Democrats don't deliver.

“It's one promise after another and they don't do anything,” Santos said.

It's the first time in recent history that either of Puerto Rico's two main parties failed to secure more than 40% of the overall vote as new parties and candidates erode the grip that both parties have long had on the island.

In addition to the general election, voters also faced a nonbinding referendum that asked, “Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the union as a state?"

U.S. statehood was leading with more than 52% support, with more than 95% of...