Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that a special election will be held to fill a congressional seat that Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s (D-Texas) recent death left vacant.
Abbott issued a proclamation on Aug. 2, ordering a special election on Nov. 5 for the purpose of electing a U.S. Representative for Congressional District 18 to serve out Jackson Lee’s unexpired term.
Jackson Lee died at the age of 74 on July 19, not long after revealing she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was first elected to her Houston seat in 1994 and held it for decades until her death.
This special election to elect someone to serve out the remaining two months of Jackson Lee’s term will take place on the same day as the general election, where voters will also choose who will represent the traditionally Democrat district for the full two-year term starting in 2025….