A special election to replace a state representative who resigned this week for health reasons will take place in June.

Rep. Dale Denno, D-Cumberland, who was re-elected for a second term to House District 45 in November, resigned on Wednesday because he has lung cancer. Secretary of State Matt Dunlap’s office announced Friday that the special election to fill Denno’s seat will take place Tuesday, June 11.





House District 45 covers the town of Cumberland and part of Gray. Democrats, Green Independents and Republicans in the district will caucus for candidates, and those nominations are due to Dunlap’s office by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 18. Non-party candidates who submit at least 50 signatures from voters in the district by that deadline will qualify for the ballot. Write-in candidates must declare their candidacy by the same time on Thursday, April 25.

The elected candidate will serve out the remainder of Denno’s term, which would have ended in December 2020.

Denno is the third Democrat elected to the House last November to leave his seat. Aaron Frey of Bangor was elected by legislators to be Maine’s attorney general, so he chose not to be sworn in for his fourth term. Rep. Joe Perry, a Democrat, won the March 12 special election to succeed Frey. Jennifer DeChant, D-Bath, resigned Feb. 1 to take a private-sector job. Bath voters will elect her successor April 2.