A special election to fill the District 68 House of Representatives seat vacated by Laufton Ascencao will be held in March, following the acceptance of Mr. Ascencao’s official letter of resignation Monday by the Rhode Island Secretary of State.

Under a schedule released Monday afternoon, prospective candidates have to officially announce their intent to run on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 27 and 28. A host of other dates and requires between the declaration deadline and the special election itself, which will be held Tuesday, March 5, 2019. They include:

• Dec. 27-28, 2018: Deadline for candidates to file Declarations of Candidacy with the Bristol and Warren Board of Canvassers
• Dec. 31, 2018: Deadline for endorsements to be filed by party committees
• Jan. 6, 2019: Last day to register to vote for the primary
• Jan. 8, 2019: Deadline for candidates to submit nomination papers to the Bristol and Warren Boards of Canvassers
• Jan. 15, 2019: Last day to submit a mail ballot application for the primary
• Jan. 16-Feb. 4, 2019: Emergency ballot period for the primary
• Feb. 5, 2019: PRIMARY
• Feb. 3, 2019: Last day to register to vote for the election
• Feb. 12, 2019: Last day to submit a mail ballot application for the election
• Feb. 13-March 4, 2019: Emergency ballot period for the election
• March 5, 2019: Special election

So far, five people have expressed interest in running for the seat, which was vacated after revelations came to light that Mr. Ascencao had lied to colleagues on the Warren Democratic Town Committee, created fake documents and tried to deceive members over a mailer he was responsible for sending out just prior to November’s election.

Candidates include June Speakman (D, Warren), Warren Town Council member Joseph DePasquale (I, Warren), William Hunt (L, Warren), Andrew Tyska (D, Bristol) and Bristol Town Council member Timothy Sweeney (D, Bristol).

If Mr. Sweeney wins the special election, the Town of Bristol will have to hold another election to fill his vacated council seat. If Mr. DePasquale wins, the Town of Warren will be obliged to do the same.