Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood New Progressive Party won a majority of votes to become the U.S. territory’s next governor, according to official results released in the late evening on November 7.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Pierluisi received nearly 33% of votes compared with nearly 32% obtained by Carlos Delgado of the Popular Democratic Party, which supports the current territorial status.

The results come four days after Puerto Rico held general elections, an unusual delay blamed on a record number of early and absentee votes that overwhelmed officials.

Voters across Puerto Rico await final results on November 4 following elections that saw long lines and produced a tight gubernatorial race.

Candidate Pedro Pierluisi holds a slight lead over Carlos Delgado Altieri and several other candidates in the race for governor.

Pierluisi, the candidate for the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, is the territory’s former non-voting representative in Congress.

He also briefly served as governor following huge street protests last year that led to the resignation of former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló.

Rosselló was forced out of office in August 2019 amid mass street protests and corruption allegations.

His successor, Wanda Vázquez Garced, battled the pandemic and earthquakes until Pierluisi won the gubernatorial primary earlier this year.

Pierluisi also trailed gubernatorial opponents Juan Dalmau of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, Alexandra Lúgaro of Citizen Victory Movement, César Vázquez of the Dignity Project, and independent candidate Eliezer Molina.

With more than 95% of the votes counted, Pierluisi leads Altieri 32.40% to 31.36%.

The Supreme Court of the territory ruled unanimously that Pedro Pierluisi’s swearing in as governor was unconstitutional and ordered him to resign by 5 p.m.

Last week, then-Governor Ricardo Rosello appointed Pierluisi Secretary of State in order to assume office after Rosello’s planned resignation.

However, Pierluisi only received a confirmation vote in the House of Representatives.

This complied with a 2005 legislative amendment, but the court ruled it violated Puerto Rico’s constitution, which mandates confirmation from both of the territory’s legislative bodies.

Rosello’s Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez was next in line for the governorship, but said she did not want the position.

After the court’s ruling, though, Vazquez said she will assume the governorship in order to provide the island certainty and stability.