By CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Democrat Kenyatte Hassell won the House District 78 special general election Tuesday night, securing 80% of the vote.
Hassell beat Republican nominee Loretta Grant who received 19.8% of the vote, according to unofficial election results.
With a small turnout in the special election, that amounted to 1,028 votes for Hassell and 254 for Grant.
Hassell is a life-long Montgomery resident and father of four, according to his campaign website. He works for YoungLife, a Christian youth ministry, and manages a barber shop.
Hassell thanked his supporters and family Tuesday night on a Facebook live video, saying he will continue to help the people of his district in the State House.
Tuesday’s election had a 4.8% voter turnout. The district takes up the northern and western parts of Montgomery.
The seat became open when then-Rep. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, was elected to the Alabama Senate for Senate District 26 during a special election in March. Hassell worked on Hatcher’s campaign, his website says.