LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe sent a letter Monday to the state’s Democratic and Republican political parties asking how they want to deal with a special election to fill the District 24 state House of Representatives seat won by a man who died shortly before the general election.
Republican Keith Crass died a week before the Nov. 2 election. According to unofficial results, he won with 55.67 percent of the vote over his opponent, Garland County Judge Larry Williams, a Democrat.
The seat was one of 17 House seats picked up by Republicans in November, according to the unofficial counts.
Beebe spokesman Matt De-Cample said the Green Party did not win 3 percent of the vote in the Nov. 2 election, according to the uncertified results, so it is not being treated as a certified political party in the state and thus did not have to be notified of the special election. The election results have not been certified by the secretary of state yet.
The Arkansas Constitution allows the current office-holder, Rep. Rick Saunders, D-Hot Springs, to hold the seat until the next general election in 2012 despite having virtually completed the three terms allowed by the constitution’s term limits amendment, according to an interpretation by the attorney general.
Saunders submitted his resignation to the governor Wednesday. His term ends in January.
The Democratic and Republican parties have 10 days to notify the governor whether they want to hold a special primary election or if a convention of delegates will choose the nominees.
Hot Springs Republican Bruce Cozart seeks the Republican nomination, GOP spokesman Katherine Vasilos said.
Williams said he is leaning toward not running.
Hot Springs attorney Jerry Rephan said he is “very interested” in entering the race as a Democrat but hasn’t made a decision.
Arkansas Code Annotated 7-7-105 outlines the process: If any political party chooses to hold a special primary election, that’s how nominees will be chosen. The governor sets the dates for the special primary election and the runoff, which will be held if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in his party’s special primary election. The special election is held as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs but not more than 150 days after the vacancy.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 11/30/2010