In its final days, the tumultuous campaign to be the next mayor of New Orleans hinges on one crucial question: Whether Helena Moreno , who has built a commanding lead against her biggest rivals, will avoid a runoff.

New Orleans voters will head to the polls Saturday to choose between Moreno, Royce Duplessis , Oliver Thomas and several lesser-known candidates in the primary to replace the deeply unpopular Mayor LaToya Cantrell . The top two candidates will advance to a general election on Nov. 15 — unless any candidate can secure more than half the vote.

Moreno, the City Council's vice president, is the only candidate who appears to have a chance of doing so. Polls have consistently shown her support among likely voters hovering around 50% — good for a 30-point advantage over

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