As expected, Secretary of State Brian Kemp has officially called a special election Nov. 7 to fill two vacant Athens-area state House of Representatives seats.

District 117 representative Regina Quick and District 119 representative Chuck Williams both recently resigned, Quick to accept an appointment as Superior Court judge and Williams to become director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Both districts include parts of Clarke and Oconee counties, and 117 includes parts of Jackson and Barrow counties, as well.

Three candidates have announced they'll run for each seat: Republicans Houston Gaines and Doug McKillip and Democrat Deborah Gonzalez in 117, and three Republicans—Steven Strickland, Marcus Wiedower and Tom Lord—in 119.

Qualifying will begin at 9 a.m. Monday and end at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The last day to register to vote in the election is Oct. 10.

In special elections, there are no primaries, and all candidates appear on the same ballot together. Runoffs, if necessary, will be held Dec. 5.

A referendum on a 1 percent sales tax for transportation also will be on the ballot Nov. 7 in Clarke County.