Candidates in two special elections to fill vacant House seats appear headed to Jan. 2 runoffs.

O.K. “Kenny” Moore and Ken Morgan appeared headed to a runoff election to fill the House District 100 seat vacated when former Rep. Virginia Carlton was elected to the state Court of Appeals.

Moore, Morgan, Thomas H. Blakeney, Donovan McComb and Terry L. Montgomery, all of Colombia, were competing for the seat, which represents parts of Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Marion counties.

Moore had held the House seat from 2000-2004. He was defeated by Morgan for the Democratic nomination in 2003. Carlton then defeated Morgan in the 2003 general election. Carlton was elected last month to the state’s second highest court.

With all precincts reporting unofficial results, Morgan took 1,024 votes to Moores 888 votes. They were followed by Blakeney with 668 votes; McComb with 612 votes; and Montgomery with 353 votes.

In the House District 101 race, Harvey Fillingane of Sumrall was leading in unofficial results just ahead of Hattiesburg attorney Erica McHard.

Fillingane had 1,259 votes before affidavit ballots were counted Tuesday night to McHard’s 777 votes.

William Carey University administrator Joe Garvin had 762 votes; Eddie Stephenson had 247 votes; and Dale Beavers had 167.