OTHO — Voters in Otho won’t be finished at the polls after the general election on Nov. 3. A special election to fill a recently-vacated City Council seat is set for Dec. 8.

Former Otho City Council member Marvin Fortune submitted his letter of resignation to Mayor Mark Groat and the council during the council’s July 14 meeting.

The city then began the process to appoint a replacement by posting a notice of vacancy.

According to City Clerk Sherry Simmons, in his letter of resignation, Fortune set Aug. 12 as the date it would go into effect.

During the Aug. 11 City Council meeting, Otho residents Marty Pringle and Mike Johnson were submitted for consideration for the upcoming vacant seat.

According to the meeting minutes, Fortune motioned to appoint Johnson to the seat, but the motion died due to lack of a second. Council member Gary Fox motioned to appoint Pringle to the seat, with member Travis Stanberg seconding the motion. Fox’s motion carried, with Fortune being the only nay vote.

During the Sept. 8 City Council meeting, Groat informed the council that a petition for a special election was submitted on Aug. 14, noting that a special election will cost the city up to $5,000.

Under Iowa Code, it is the citizens’ right to petition for a special election and the council voted unanimously to accept the petition for the special election.

Fortune was elected to the City Council in November 2017.