When the early voting numbers dropped on Saturday night, incumbent Darren Lombard held a healthy double-digit lead over life-prisoner-turned-lawyer Calvin Duncan in the race for Orleans Parish criminal court clerk.

But over the next few hours, it became clear the script had flipped behind the curtains at the polls.

A majority of voters on Saturday favored Duncan, leading to the closest race on the city ballot and a runoff to lead an office that oversees elections but rarely generates much political heat of its own.

Fewer than 700 votes separated Duncan and Lombard from more than 98,000 cast, with third-place finisher Valencia Miles trailing.

Political analysts say Duncan, a first-time candidate for elected office who led the primary vote count, carries momentum heading into a Nov. 15

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