1977 New Orleans mayoral election

none January 2025 September 2023 1977 New Orleans Mayoral Election New Orleans Presidential 1973 New Orleans mayoral election 1973 October 1, 1977 (first round)November 12, 1977 (runoff) 1982 New Orleans mayoral election 1982 First round Runoff x165px Ernest Morial Democratic Party (United States) 41,18226.63% 90,53951.78% x160px Joe DiRosa 36,86223.84% 84,32548.22% Nat Kiefer 36,59723.67% Eliminated Toni Morrison Democratic Party (United States) 32,17620.81% Eliminated Mayor Moon Landrieu Democratic Party (United States) Ernest Morial Democratic Party (United States) The New Orleans mayoral election of 1977 resulted in the election of Ernest Morial as the first African-American mayor of New Orleans. Background Elections in Louisiana—with the exception of U.S. presidential elections—follow a variation of the open primary system. 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 run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party. In this election, the first round of voting was held on October 1, 1977, and the runoff was held on November 12. The 1977 municipal elections were the first under Louisiana's open primary law signed by Governor Edwin Edwards two years earlier. Under the New Orleans City Charter adopted by voters in 1954, Incumbent mayor Moon Landrieu was term-limited. Results Primary, October 1 A total of 154,643 votes were cast CandidateVotes received%Ernest Morial41,18226.63%Joe DiRosa36,86223.84%Nat Kiefer36,59723.67%DeLesseps "Toni" Morrison, Jr.32,17620.81%Thomas Lewis Giraud5,2153.37%Herbert W. Christenberry, Jr.1,3810.89%Joel Aber3770.24%Rodney Fertel2930.19%Cecil M. Shilstone1910.12%Thomas Joseph Garnier1880.12%George A. Aiavolasiti1810.12% Runoff, November 12 CandidateVotes received%Ernest Morial90,53951.78%Joe DiRosa84,32548.22% 1973 mayoral election New Orleans mayoral elections 1982 mayoral election Sources Board of Supervisors of Elections for the Parish of Orleans. Election Returns of Orleans Parish, 1977. Category:Mayoral elections in New Orleans Category:1977 Louisiana elections New Orleans Category:October 1977 in the United States Category:November 1977 in the United States Category:1970s in New Orleans