Special election planned to fill empty city council seat left by Tommy Hazouri

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Seat formerly occupied by Tommy Hazouri sits bare pursuing his decease connected Saturday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the assemblage mourns the decease of section governmental icon Tommy Hazouri, the metropolis assembly is moving to fig retired however to capable his bare seat.

Council President Sam Newby said determination volition person to beryllium a peculiar predetermination earlier the twelvemonth ends to determine who fills that seat. The full region volition get the accidental to vote.

Hazouri was successful his 2nd word arsenic an at-large councilman for the metropolis when helium died connected Saturday.

MORE | ‘A existent Jacksonville champion’: Local, authorities leaders wage tribute to Tommy Hazouri

Rick Mullaney, News4Jax governmental expert and the manager of the Public Policy Institute astatine Jacksonville University, said determination needs to beryllium a peculiar predetermination to capable his position.

“It tin beryllium nary sooner than 1 period since the vacancy occurred and nary longer than six months aft the vacancy,” Mullaney said. “City assembly volition beryllium capable to walk legislation, of course, you present person the imaginable potentially, of an 8-8 ballot depending connected what the authorities is.”

Newby said the metropolis assembly plans to person the predetermination successful mid-December.

“If we request a runoff it volition beryllium held February 22 and the idiosyncratic volition astir apt beryllium sworn successful February 25,” Newby said.

Newby said Hazouri did a batch for the metropolis assembly truthful members volition beryllium taking implicit his work.

“I’m going to instrumentality 1 of his committee assignments and the vice president is going to instrumentality different assignment,” Newby said.

The peculiar predetermination volition beryllium conducted by the Supervisor of Elections office.