Gov. Brad Little (R) appointed Aaron von Ehlinger (R) to represent District 6A in the Idaho House of Representatives on June 3. The seat became vacant when late Rep. Thyra Stevenson (R) died on May 11, 2020. Ehlinger will serve the remainder of Stevenson’s unexpired term ending on November 30, 2020.

The appointment, which filled the only current vacancy in the Idaho state legislature, came one day after Ehlinger won the Republican primary in the district on June 2. Stevenson died after ballots were finalized and her name still appeared on the ballot. Ehlinger received 78.1% of the vote to Stevenson’s 21.9%. There were no candidates in the Democratic primary and Ehlinger is running unopposed on Nov. 3.

The current partisan composition of the Idaho House of Representatives is 56 Republicans and 14 Democrats. The Republican Party has held a majority in the state House since 1992. Republicans have held a state government trifecta, or a majority in both chambers of the state legislature plus the governor’s office, since 1995.