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1999 Louisiana gubernatorial election

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1999 Louisiana gubernatorial election

← 1995 October 23, 1999 2003 →
 
Nominee Mike Foster Bill Jefferson
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 805,203 382,445
Percentage 62.17% 29.53%

Parish results
Foster:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Jefferson:      40–50%      60–70%

Governor before election

Mike Foster
Republican

Elected Governor

Mike Foster
Republican

The 1999 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on October 23, 1999, incumbent Republican Mike Foster won reelection to a second term as governor of Louisiana becoming the first Republican to ever do so.

In 1999 all elections in Louisiana—with the exception of U.S. presidential elections—followed a variation of the open primary system called the jungle primary (the system has since been abandoned for all federal elections between 2008 and 2010, but has remained in use for state and local elections). Candidates of any and all parties are listed on one ballot; voters need not limit themselves to the candidates of one party. Unless one candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a runoff election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party.[2] In this election, the first round of voting was held on October 23, 1999. Since Foster won over 50% of the vote, the runoff, which would have been held November 20, 1999, was canceled. Foster was the first Republican in Louisiana to win a second gubernatorial term.

The only parishes carried by Jefferson were his home of Orleans and East Carroll, where Jefferson's birthplace, Lake Providence serves as the parish seat.

Results

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Foster easily won reelection with 62.17% of the vote. Due to Foster winning more than 50% of the vote, there was no runoff. Jefferson only won two parishes, Orleans Parish and East Carroll Parish. Democratic candidates cumulatively won 33.89% of the vote.

First voting round, October 23

Louisiana Gubernatorial Election, 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike Foster (incumbent) 805,203 62.17
Democratic Bill Jefferson 382,445 29.53
Republican Tom Greene 35,434 2.74
Democratic Phil Preis 23,445 1.81
Democratic Berl Bush 12,496 0.96
Reform Belinda Alexandrenko 8,978 0.69
Democratic Messiah Darryl Paul Ward 7,645 0.59
Democratic Bob McElroy 7,511 0.58
Democratic Charles V. Bellone 5,432 0.42
Independent Sid Baron 3,669 0.28
Independent Ronnie Glynn Johnson 2,946 0.23
Turnout 1,295,204 100
Republican hold Swing

Runoff did not occur due to Foster winning outright

Sources

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