Only one candidate, Mercer County native Steve Fought, filed petitions for the Democratic primary election set for Sept. 13.
Another Democratic candidate who qualified earlier for the November ballot suddenly dropped out of the running.
That prompted the special election.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted looked into the possibility of foregoing the primary, since there is only one candidate on the ballot, but said state law requires the special election.
Husted said he will ask lawmakers to change the statute so a special election would not be required under similar circumstances in the future.
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