OTHO — The residents of Otho will head to the polls one last time in 2020 to vote in a special election today to fill a vacancy on the City Council.

Voting will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Otho Community Center. Residents Duane Ferguson Jr., Marty Pringle and Michael D. Johnson are running for the single open council seat.

The vacancy was created over the summer when former City Council member Marvin Fortune notified Mayor Mark Groat and the council of his resignation. Though Fortune submitted his letter of resignation during the July 14 council meeting, it was not set to go into effect until Aug. 12. Fortune was elected to the City Council in November 2017.

During the Aug. 11 City Council meeting, Pringle and Johnson were submitted for consideration for the 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.