Mali presidential race goes to runoff

[August 02, 2013]  BAMAKO, Mali (AP) -- A Mali government official says none of the 28 candidates in the presidential election received a majority vote, and a runoff will be held later this month between the top two finishers.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a former prime minister, will face off in the second round against former Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse.

Minister of Territorial Administration Moussa Sinko Coulibaly said Friday that Keita received 39.2 percent of the votes. Cisse received 19.4 percent. Coulibaly said turnout was 51.5 percent with 3.1 million votes cast.

The results are provisional and still need to be vetted by the constitutional court. The runoff will take place Aug. 11.

The July 28 election is the first since the coup last year overturned Mali's democratically elected government, marking the start of a year of turmoil.

[Associated Press]

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