St. George Tax Vote Could Shape Baton Rouge Mayoral Runoff Outcome
On December 7, East Baton Rouge Parish voters face a significant decision beyond the mayoral runoff: whether to approve a measure allowing the City of St. George to retain its share of a 2% parish-wide sales tax. This crucial vote could shape the future of St. George’s government and impact the Baton Rouge mayor-president race between incumbent Democrat Sharon Weston Broome and Republican Sid Edwards.
Historically, Baton Rouge’s mayoral runoff elections see lower turnout than primaries. However, the tax proposal for St. George, which directly impacts over 50,000 residents, could drive higher voter participation and potentially shift the election dynamics. Edwards' campaign manager, Mason Batts, highlighted the tax measure as a key issue for the new city’s residents, stating, “If St. George doesn’t secure this revenue, it will be hard for them to establish their own government.”
Edwards, who won 34% of the primary vote, narrowly surpassed Broome’s 31%. With 28% of voters backing now-eliminated candidate Ted James, the runoff’s outcome largely depends on where James’ supporters align. Edwards has seen substantial support in St. George, a conservative area eager to establish local governance, which could help him edge out Broome.
While Broome’s past legal challenges to St. George’s incorporation position her as an unlikely favorite in that area, her team remains hopeful about parish-wide turnout. “We encourage all East Baton Rouge residents to vote, whether for mayor-president or on the St. George tax,” said Broome’s campaign manager M.E. Cormier, who also opposed St. George’s incorporation. She hopes Broome’s initiatives focused on broader parish needs will resonate with voters beyond Baton Rouge.
The St. George Transition District Chairman, Andrew Murrell, who has long championed local autonomy, sees the tax vote as a financial and symbolic battle. “City hall’s obstruction of St. George’s funding underscores the need for our own revenue control,” Murrell said. He emphasized that a high voter turnout in St. George would send a message to city officials about the community’s desire for independence.
St. George Mayor Dustin Yates echoed this sentiment, urging residents to vote in favor of the tax measure. “Approving this transfer won’t cost taxpayers anything extra but allows us to govern independently,” Yates said. He also reminded voters that the elected mayor-president will represent the entire parish, including St. George, adding, “This election is critical for our future.”
With nearly 189,000 residents casting ballots in the primary (a 64% turnout rate), experts predict a turnout decrease in the runoff. However, with 59,000 St. George voters—representing over 20% of the parish electorate—any increase in turnout could impact both the tax vote and the mayoral race outcome.
As early voting opens on November 22, East Baton Rouge Parish voters have the power to decide both the future of the City of St. George and the next mayor-president of Baton Rouge.
