The election schedule is weeks longer than that set for the last special election, held in 2011 to replace the 3rd Berkshires' Christopher Speranzo, who resigned on July 13 that year to become clerk magistrate of Berkshire Superior Court. While candidates were lining up on reports of his nomination a month earlier, a special election wasn't set until mid-July. The primary was held Sept. 20 and Tricia Farley-Bouvier went on to win the special election less than a month later, on Oct. 18.