The special election to fill the recently vacated House District 31 seat will likely have a much higher turnout than previous elections held in 2018.
Gov. Phil Bryant announced late Wednesday the date for the special election will be Tuesday, Nov. 6, the date of the 2018 midterms.
District 31, which encompasses portions of Sunflower, Bolivar, Humphreys and Washington Counties, was left empty by the recent retirement of Indianola native Sara Richardson Thomas, who served in the House for over 20 years.
A release from the governor today said that if none of the qualifying candidates receive a majority vote on Nov. 6, a runoff would follow on Nov. 27.
The qualifying deadline for this election is Sept. 17, the release said.
Former Indianola alderman Otis Anthony III announced just after Thomas’ resignation that he plans to fill the seat.
A number of others are expected to announce a run for the seat now that Bryant has formally set the election date.
Sunflower County has already voted in one special election this year, electing Tracey Rosebud to the House District 30 seat in the spring.
Voter turnout was not viewed as high for that election.
