Ala governor sets dates for special House election

  MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Gov. Bob Riley has scheduled a special
election to fill the state House District 40 seat vacated by the
death of Democratic Rep. Lea Fite of Jacksonville.
    House District 40 includes much of the northern part of Calhoun
County.
    Riley said Tuesday that qualifying for candidates with the two
major parties will end Friday, Nov. 13. Party primaries will be
Tuesday, Jan. 5, with primary runoffs, if necessary, scheduled for
Tuesday, Feb. 16 and the general election set for Tuesday, March
30.
    The winner will serve until Fite’s term would have expired in
November, 2010. The general election is scheduled three days before
qualifying ends on April 3 for the 2010 legislative elections.
    Fite died Oct. 26 after suffering an apparent seizure.