A special election will be held Dec. 9 to replace former state Rep. Mike Sexton in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is responsible for scheduling special legislative elections, announced the upcoming vote Wednesday.

Sexton, a Republican from Rockwell City, resigned Friday to become the director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s rural development programs in Iowa.

He represented House District 7, which includes Calhoun, Pocahontas and Sac counties plus the western part of Webster County.

Rachel Burns, of Odebolt, is the Democratic candidate for the seat. No Republicans have publicly announced their candidacy yet.

Sexton was first elected to the House in 2014. He had been the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee since 2022.

He was a state senator from 1999 to 2003 but did not seek reelection. After leaving the Senate he served on the Rockwell City – Lytton and South Central Calhoun school boards.