(The Center Square) – Eastern Ohio voters will have a third election this year after Gov. Mike DeWine set a special election to replace Republican Congressman Bill Johnson, who officially announced his resignation.
DeWine announced special election dates late Thursday.
Johnson, in Congress since 2011, will leave Jan. 21 to become president of Youngstown State University. His departure shrinks an already slim GOP majority in the House.
Johnson has not publicly commented on his departure, but a letter from Michael Peterson, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, to the Youngstown State community said Johnson will begin work Jan. 22.
Initially, Johnson was expected to transition in mid-March.
In a release late Thursday, DeWine said Johnson formally notified him of his departure Thursday.
DeWine followed the notification with an official Writ of Election, that includes:
• Jan. 19: Declaration of candidacies for partisan candidates must be filed with the Mahoning County Board of Elections by 4 p.m.
• Jan. 24: The Mahoning County Board of Elections must certify the names of the candidates that will appear on the special primary ballot to Washington, Noble, Monroe, Belmont, Harrison, Jefferson, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Stark and Columbiana county boards of elections.
• March 19: The special election congressional primary takes place.
• June 11: The special congressional general election takes place.
“The election schedule set by Governor DeWine will ensure Ohio can promptly fill this vacancy with minimum disruption both to local boards of elections and to the voters of the 6th Congressional District,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose said. “Given the extraordinary demands placed on our boards of elections in a presidential year, a special election presents a challenge, but one that I am confident our hardworking elections officials will meet.”
Johnson’s resignation leaves the U.S. House with 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats with three vacancies.
