Gov. Scott Walker has called for special elections on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, to fill Assembly Districts 58 and 66. District 58 became vacant in October when Rep. Bob Gannon (R-West Bend) passed away. District 66, currently filled by Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), will become vacant in January. Mason was sworn in as mayor of Racine this week and announced his resignation of his Assembly seat, effective Jan. 15.

In Executive Orders 262 and 264, Walker calls for the elections to fill the vacant seats on Jan. 16. Primaries will be held Tuesday, Dec. 19, if necessary. Candidates must file nomination papers by Nov. 21.

Primaries are likely in both races, as Mason’s Racine district is heavily Democratic, and Gannon’s heavily Republican. Greta Neubauer, former legislative aide to Mason, has announced she will run as a Democrat for his seat. In the 58th District race, three Republican candidates have registered so far: Spencer Zimmerman, who last year challenged U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) in the primary for 1st District U.S. Representative; Tiffany Koehler, who has previously run for the seat; and Steven Stanek, a business owner from West Bend.