2 candidates in Houston District C council race appear to be headed to runoff election

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The District C special election appears to be headed to a runoff.

Houston District C candidates Joe Panzarella and Nick Hellyar received the most votes in a field of seven candidates, according to unofficial results from the Harris County Clerk's Office.

Nearly 9,400 voters cast ballots in the special election, according to the Harris County Clerk's Office

Panzarella and Hellyar would be headed to a runoff because no candidate reached the required 50% threshold to avoid a runoff.

The seat became vacant after former District C Councilmember Abbie Kamin resigned to run for Harris County Attorney.

Houston's District C is home to roughly 215,000 residents, making it Houston's largest district by population.

The runoff election is slated for mid-May.

The winner will serve the remainder of the term, which runs through January 2028.

READ MORE: Houston District C special election underway as seven candidates vie for vacant seat