RALEIGH -- Governor Roy Cooper announced new election dates to fill the seat in North Carolina’s Third Congressional District, which has been vacant since Congressman Walter Jones, Jr. passed away in February.

“People in eastern North Carolina need a voice in Congress,” Gov. Cooper said. “We’re moving ahead so they can choose their new representative quickly.”

Gov. Cooper today issued a writ of election and proclamation directing that a special general election to elect a representative to serve out the remainder of the current two-year term for the Third Congressional District be held on July 9, 2019.

Candidates seeking to fill the seat should file notices of candidacy with the State Board of Elections between March 4 and March 8, 2019. To nominate candidates, a special primary election will be held on April 30, 2019. Absentee voting for the special primary election will begin on March 15, 2019.

The special general election would take place July 9, 2019, unless a primary runoff is required. If a primary runoff occurs on July 9, the special general election would then be held on September 10, 2019.

Absentee voting for the July 9 election will begin on May 24, 2019. If the September 10 election date is needed, absentee voting will start on July 26, 2019.

Federal and state laws require the governor to schedule election dates to fill the vacant seat in the Third Congressional District. The State Board of Elections is responsible for scheduling a new election in North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District.