SG presidential candidates Dixon McMakin and Colorado Robertson will meet in a runoff election next week because neither candidate received a percentage majority of the student vote in Wednesday’s general election. Senate Speaker Robertson and his running mate Shannon Bates of “The Foundation” received the plurality with 48.7 percent of the vote, while SG Director of Athletics McMakin and his running mate Kristen Oaks of “Vision 2008” finished second with 45.9 percent of the vote. SG presidential candidate Taylor Craft and his vice presidential candidate Wesleigh McLeod received 5.4 percent of the vote. Although more than 27,000 students had the opportunity to vote Wednesday, only 6,925 students voted for student body president and vice president. Though originally scheduled for announcement at the LSU Memorial Tower, SG elections commissioner Jacob Gower announced the results in Lockett at 6 p.m. tonight. Candidates contending to serve as a University Court Justice will also go head-to-head in next week’s runoff election. Curtis White of “Vision 2008” led with 12.8 percent of the vote and will compete against Aaron Phipps of “The Foundation” who received 12.4 percent of the vote. Jessica Chatelain swept the race, though, with 20.2 percent of the vote, while Parker Maxwell also received a majority with 16.8 percent. Both Chatelain and Maxwell will represent “Vision 2008” as a University Court Justice. Though only 262 students voted for candidates running for Mass Communication Treasurer, Caroline Barnes of “The Foundation” and Kat Ingram of “Vision 2008” will also compete in a runoff. Ingram came out ahead with 44.3 percent of the vote and Barnes received 39.7 percent of the vote. The fourth runoff will decide who serves as Mass Communication College Council President. Joe Coussan of “The Foundation” and Michael Laborde of “Vision 2008” will compete for the position, though Coussan receieved the plurality with 46.6 percent of the vote while Laborde received 28.9 percent of the 266 votes. Whitney Breaux, senator for the College of Mass Communication only received 24.4 percent of the total vote.
The runoff election between “Vision 2008” and “The Foundation” will be Wednesday, April 9 from 8 a.m. to 9:59 p.m. Students can log on to their PAWS account and select “Student Services” to select their preferred ticket.
—-Contact Natalie Messina at [email protected]