A special election to fill the vacancy in House District 9 caused by the death of state Rep. Sheilla Lampkin, D-Monticello, was set Wednesday to coincide with the Nov. 8 general election, when voters will also choose her successor for the next term.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson issued a proclamation Wednesday afternoon setting the date of the election, as well as an Aug. 8 deadline for political parties to select their nominees.
Under most circumstances, special elections are to be held within 150 days of a vacancy arising and should be scheduled on the second Tuesday of the month in which they are held, according Arkansas Code Annotated 7-11-105.
Holding the election in November makes it likely the candidates in the general election for Lampkin's seat will also appear on the same ballot to fill the seat two months before lawmakers' January swearing-in.
Lampkin, 70, died Saturday night of ovarian cancer, her family said. The Democratic three-term lawmaker from Monticello had announced her diagnosis the previous week and said she would not run for re-election in November.
The party split of the Arkansas House is 63 Republicans, 34 Democrats and one independent after Lampkin's death and the resignation of Republican Rep. Kelley Linck, who left to work for the Department of Human Services in June. The Senate has 24 Republicans and 11 Democrats.
The governor's proclamation states there will be no primary or runoff for the special election; instead, the parties will hold a convention to nominate candidates. The parties must notify the secretary of state of the results of the conventions by Aug. 10.
Monticello Republican Jim Hall won the March primary to run for the district's seat, which includes parts of Drew and Ashley counties.
On Wednesday, Drew County Democratic Party Secretary Dakota Blakney said three people had expressed interest in running for the seat. They are former state Rep. Johnnie Bolin and Candace Jeffress, both of Crossett, as well as G̶r̶a̶c̶e̶ Grant* Pace of Monticello.
Blakney said party members will meet tonight at the county courthouse to select delegates for the convention. State Democratic Party spokesman H.L. Moody said earlier this week the local convention will likely be held Aug. 4.
A spokesman with the Arkansas Republican Party said party officials are planning to meet next week to determine the process for selecting a nominee for the special election.
Metro on 07/28/2016
*CORRECTION: Grant Pace of Monticello has expressed interest in seeking the Democratic nomination for state House District 9. Pace’s first name was incorrect in this article.