CORRECTION: A previous copy of this story incorrectly stated that Chesapeake was included in Virginia’s 4th District. The district no longer includes the city. The story has been corrected.
RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced the date for the special election to replace the late state representative Donald McEachin.
The special election for Virginia’s 4th congressional district has been set for February 21. The seat was previously held by Representative Donald McEachin, who passed away on November 28.
The district stretches from the Richmond area down to the North Carolina line.
View the writ of election from Gov. Youngkin HERE.
The last day potential candidates have to file to be in the special election is December 23.
Two state delegates have already filed paperwork to run. Del. Lamont Bagby (Henrico) and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan (Richmond). Another Democrat, former state delegate Joseph Preston, is also seeking the 4th District seat.
Republicans Leon Benjamin, who lost to McEachin in November, and Dale Sturdifen, a former Mecklenburg County School Board chairman, are running to be the GOP nominees.
McEachin, a Democrat, died at age 61 after a long battle with cancer. His chief of staff, Tara Rountree, announced his death in a statement, saying “valiantly, for years now, we have watched him fight and triumph over the secondary effects of his colorectal cancer from 2013 … the people of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District lost a hero who always, always fought for them and put them first.”
He was first elected to represent the strongly Democratic-leaning 4th District in 2016 and had just easily won reelection for a fourth term this November. He’d become known in Congress for his work on environmental and social justice initiatives, and bringing people together.
He is survived by his wife Colette and their three children.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.