On January 5, 2016, a special election will be held to fill the Rhode Island Senate District 11 seat left vacant by Sen. Christopher Scott Ottiano. Ottiano, whose district covers Bristol, Portsmouth, and Tiverton, resigned on October 13 to work exclusively as an associate medical director at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island. On October 14, Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea announced if more than one candidate from either party qualifies for the ballot, a primary election will be held on December 1, 2015.