NATCHEZ &8212; Mississippi voters will determine who fills the seat on the Mississippi Court of Appeals in a runoff Tuesday.

Narrowed down from five candidates for the Nov. 7 election, the runoff will be between State Rep. Virginia Carlton and Chancery Judge Ed Patten Jr.

Carlton has been a public defender, prosecutor and army officer, among other positions. Before the general election, she said she thought her experience in the U.S. Army and the state legislature would help her if she won the judgeship.

At the time, she said she believed in strict construction, or abiding by the letter of the law, and that her experience working with abused women and children had a big impact on her.

Patten has served as a prosecutor, city judge, youth court judge and chancery judge. Before the general election, he said he felt his years of experience in the courtroom made him an ideal candidate for the court of appeals.

He said he had a clear understanding of the dynamics of the courtroom and that his experience on the bench would help him better understand the decisions other judges made when those decisions were brought before him.

The court of appeals hears cases appealed from lower courts.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.