A special election to fill the 6th Essex seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives has been set for three months from now.

The State House, on Monday, ordered an election to fill the vacant position will be held on May 13, and Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office says that means a primary must occur on April 15.

“Earlier today, the House of Representatives adopted an order to call a special election to fill the vacant seat formerly held by Representative Jerald A. Parisella, who declined to take the oath of office when the House was sworn-in to a new term on January 1,” Galvin’s office said in a statement.

“According to the House’s order, the special election will be held on May 13, 2025. In accordance with state law, the special state primaries for the election will be held on April 15, 2025,” the Secretary’s office wrote.

Those interested in representing the 6th Essex have until March 6 to gather at least 150 signatures on nomination papers and submit the required paperwork with local elections officials, Galvin’s office said. The same paperwork is then due to the Secretary of State the following week.

The 6th Essex covers the entire city of Beverly and Wenham’s first precinct. Nomination papers for the seat can be found at the Elections Division’s Boston office at 1 Ashburton Place, Room 1705, and at the Beverly City Clerk’s office.

“At least 150 certified signatures and other required paperwork must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division by March 11,” Galvin’s office wrote.

Parisella was first elected in 2010, and won reelection in 2024 but chose not to start his eighth two-year term after he was nominated by Gov. Maura Healey to serve as an Associate Justice of the District Court.

“As a member of the Legislature for more than a decade and a U.S. Army veteran, Representative Parisella is a true public servant who knows what it means to deliver for the people of Massachusetts,” Healey said in announcing his nomination.

In the last legislative session, Parisella served as Chair of the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Joint Committee, and he chaired the Public Service Joint Committee in 2019 and 2020.

The governor swore the former representative into the judiciary on January 1, after his approval by the Governor’s Council in December. Parisella described his nomination as “the American dream come true.”

“I have truly enjoyed my life of public service, as well as representing private clients who needed help navigating the court system. In my role as state rep, I have dealt with people during some of their most difficult times,” Parisella said. “I believe this type of job has prepared me to deal with people facing some of the most difficult challenges as they navigate the District Court. It’s critical to be empathetic to the situations, listen with an open mind to their stories and treat them fairly.”

Herald wire service contributed.

Secretary of State William Galvin (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)