Gov. Mike Beebe today set April 14 as the date for a special election to fill  the state Senate seat vacated by Michael Lamoureux of Russellville to take a position as Gov.-elect Asa Hutchinson’s chief of staff. That means the 2015 legislative session will be conducted throughout by a 34-seat Senate, unless the session, which starts Jan. 12, runs for more than three months. The election commissions will have until April 24 to certify the results.

The political parties asked for a primary rather than choosing nominees by a convention. The primary will be Jan. 13 and a primary runoff, if necessary, on Feb. 10. Filing opens at noon Monday, Nov. 24 and closes at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

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Independents can file petitions to run through Jan. 5.

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