Moon Landrieu Democratic Ernest Morial Democratic The New Orleans mayoral election of 1977 resulted in the election of Ernest Morial as the first African-American mayor of New Orleans.

Elections in Louisiana—with the exception of U.S. presidential elections—follow a variation of the open primary system.

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.

Primary, October 1 A total of 154,643 votes were cast Runoff, November 12