House 89 special election set for Jan. 31

DAVENPORT - The special election to fill the Iowa House seat left vacant by Sen.-elect Jim Lykam will be Jan. 31, Gov. Terry Branstad announced Friday.

The election will come a little less than three weeks after Republicans are scheduled to select their nominee for the District 89 post. Democrats on Thursday nominated Monica Kurth, an educator from Davenport, to run for the job.

This special election will be the second in the span of about a month. On Dec. 27, Lykam won a three-person contest to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Joe Seng in September. Lykam resigned his House seat Monday.

House District 89 includes parts of Davenport's 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th and 8th wards. Democrats in the district outnumber Republicans by a margin of 7,500 to 4,800.

Lykam has represented the area since 2003.

The Republican convention to fill the House seat has been scheduled for 7 p.m. next Thursday at county party headquarters at Paul Revere Square, 2322 E. Kimberly Rd., Suite 235, Davenport.

Iowa law requires the governor to set a special election as early as practical when a vacancy occurs in the midst of a legislative session or when one is within 45 days of one convening. Iowa lawmakers will gavel into session Monday.

The law also requires that at least 18 days' notice be given and that the election be held on a Tuesday.