The winnerofthe special election then serves for the balance of the term. All House vacancies are filled by special election. For additional information, see CRS Report 97-1009(pdf) , House and Senate Vacancies: How Are They Filled? Special Elections in the U.S. House of Representatives: 108th Congress(2003-2004) 
a In California, Rep. Robert T. Matsui died on Jan. 1, 2005, three days before the convening of the 109th Congress, towhich he had been reelected. A special primary election to fill the vacancy will be held on Mar. 8, 2005. If no candidate receives a majorityofvotes, the top vote-getters from each party will advance to a special runoff election on May 3, 2005.
b Three days before the 108th Congress convened on January 7, 2003, a special election was held to fill the vacancycaused during the 107th Congress by the death of Rep. Patsy Mink, who had been re-elected posthumously to the 108thCongress. (For further information on the 107th Congress vacancy and specialelection see CRS Report RS20814(pdf) , Vacancies and Special Elections: 107th Congress .) A special election to fill the vacancy caused by Rep. Fletcher's resignation was held on February 17,2004,at which time the House was in recess until Feb. 24, 2004. The vacancy continued throughout the remainder of the 108th Congress. e In North Carolina, a special election to fill the vacancy in the 1st congressional district was held on July 20, 2004, tocoincide with the state's primary elections. f In South Dakota, a special election to fill the vacancy in the at-large district was held on June 1, 2004, to coincidewith the state's primary elections. Because no candidatereceived a majority of the votes, a special runoff election was held on June 3, 2003, and the names of the two topvotegetters were on that ballot.
There were seven vacancies in the 108th Congress, all in the House. One,in the 2nd District of Hawaii, was caused by the death of the incumbent, who had been re-electedposthumously to the108th Congress. Five other vacancies were caused by the resignation of the incumbent in the19th District of Texas, the6th District of Kentucky, the at-large district of South Dakota, the 1st District of NorthCarolina, and the 1st District ofNebraska. The seventh vacancy, in the 5th District of California, was caused by the death of theincumbent three daysbefore the 109th Congress, to which he had been reelected, convened. The first vacancy was filled byspecial electionon January 4, 2003, three days before the 108th Congress convened. For further information, see CRS Report RS20814(pdf), Vacancies and Special Elections: 107th Congress. The second vacancy wasfilled by special election onJune 3, 2003. The third vacancy was filled by special election on February 17, 2004. The fourth vacancy was filledby special election on June 1, 2004. The fifth vacancy was filled by special election on July 20, 2004. The vacancyin the 1st District of Nebraska continued throughout the remainder of the 108th Congress. A special primary election tofill the vacancy in the 5th District of California for the 109th Congress will be held onMarch 8, 2005. If no candidatereceives a majority of votes, a special runoff election will be held on May 3, 2005. This report records vacanciesinthe offices of U.S. Representative and Senator that occurred during the 108th Congress. It providesinformation on theformer incumbents, the process by which these vacancies are filled, and the names of Members who filled the vacantseats. This report will not be updated. For additional information, see CRS Report 97-1009(pdf), House andSenateVacancies: How Are They Filled?