The district is represented by Democrat Royce Duplessis.

The district was previously represented by Democrat Karen Carter Peterson from a 2010 special election to replace resigning fellow Democrat Cheryl Gray Evans until Peterson's resignation in April 2022.

District 5 is primarily located in New Orleans, including parts of Carrollton, the Garden District, Mid-City New Orleans, and Uptown New Orleans, stretching to also cover a small part of Jefferson Parish.

[5] At 15 square miles, it is the smallest Senate district in Louisiana.

If no candidate receives 50% in the first round of voting, when all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party, the top-two finishers advance to a runoff election.