ATLANTA — A special election will be held for House District 171 after Rep. Jay Powell, R-Camilla, died last month.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the special election will be held Jan. 28 for the district — if needed, a run-off will be held Feb. 25. House District 171 includes parts of Colquitt, Decatur and Mitchell counties.

Last month, Powell, the chairman of the Georgia House Rules Committee, died at the age of 67, after collapsing at a GOP caucus leadership event at the Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, according to House Speaker David Ralston.

The southwest Georgia attorney served in the Statehouse since 2009 and before as the mayor of Camilla for more than a decade.

“His loss is devastating to the state of Georgia,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement.

To qualify for the special election, candidates must pay a $400 fee to the the Elections Division of the Office of Secretary of State in Atlanta on 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 16 and 17, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Dec. 18.

Dec. 30 is the last day to register to vote in the special election, according to the secretary of state’s office.