Now We're Sure: Lacey And Gascon Head To A Runoff In LA's DA Race

Almost all the votes have been counted, and we can now report that Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and former San Francisco DA George Gascon will meet again in a November runoff.

The Registrar’s office estimates there are only about 20,000 votes left to be counted, and with more than 1.7 million votes already tallied, there’s no longer a mathematical possibility for Lacey to attain the 50%-plus-one she would need to win the race outright.

Lacey stands at just under 49%, while Gascon has 28%. Former public defender Rachel Rossi finished in third place, with 23%.

Here are the exact numbers as of Friday:

“I am honored that hundreds of thousands of voters made their voices heard to fight for a compassionate criminal justice system that protects crime victims and prioritizes treatment over incarceration for those with mental illness,” Lacey said in a statement.

“In these uncertain times of global crisis, it’s all the more important that we have a real conversation about keeping our community safe, and I look forward to continuing that conversation in November,” she said.

For his part, Gascon said in a statement that “We can no longer afford -- either socially or economically — for our barometer of justice to simply revolve around punishment. This dated approach has come at untold costs to victims, taxpayers and rehabilitation, and it has not made us safer.”

He said his record as San Francisco DA “demonstrates that we can reduce crime, incarceration, and system costs simultaneously, and if elected in November we will do it again.”

GO DEEPER:

• Your Guide To The LA County District Attorney Race