Two Democrats are headed to a runoff in a special election for a vacant Louisiana House seat representing parts of New Orleans after getting the most votes Saturday.
Results posted online by the Louisiana Secretary of State's office showed Sibil "Fox" Richardson and Alonzo Knox both advanced in a primary where all candidates, regardless of party, were on the same ballot.
Richardson is a formerly incarcerated woman who served nearly four years for her role in an armed robbery and was granted clemency in 2018. Knox is a military veteran who owns a coffee shop in New Orleans.
They bested four other candidates.
FIVE PEOPLE SHOT ON MARDI GRAS PARADE ROUTE IN NEW ORLEANS: 1 DEAD, SUSPECT DETAINED
The District 93 seat represents Uptown, Downtown and parts of the Garden District and is reliably Democratic.
It has been vacant since Royce Duplessis was elected as a state senator and was sworn in in December.
Prior to Duplesis the seat was held by Karen Carter Peterson, who went on to serve as the state Democratic party leader. Last year Carter pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 22 months in prison.
The election fell on the Saturday before Mardi Gras, and numerous parades rolled through the district as voters went to polls.