LINCOLN- June 28 has been picked as the date of a special election to fill the vacancy left when U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry resigned after being convicted of lying to federal investigators.

On that same day, Fortenberry, who had represented Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District since 2005, will be sentenced in a Los Angeles federal courtroom. He faces up to five years in prison on each of three felony counts.

The winner of the special election will fill out the remainder of Fortenberry’s term, which ends in January. The November election will pick a successor going forward.

The election date was selected by Gov. Pete Ricketts at the recommendation of Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, the state’s top election official.

By law, congressional vacancies must be filled by special election, and the governor had to pick a date within 90 days of Fortenberry’s resignation, which was effective Thursday.

The Republican and Democratic Parties have until April 22 to pick their candidates for the special election.

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