MONMOUTH – Town officials will hold a special town meeting and election Tuesday, Aug. 10, to fill a vacancy on the Board of Selectmen. The polls will be open from noon to 7 p.m. in the basement of Cumston Hall.

Nomination papers are available at the Town Office and must be filed by Monday, July 26. Absentee ballots will be available sometime after Tuesday, Aug. 3, according to Town Manager Steve Dyer.

There is a vacancy on the board because candidate Leonard Bates was ineligible to hold office when he was sworn in earlier this summer.

The controversy began three weeks ago when the wife of a former candidate presented evidence that Bates was registered to vote in both Maine and Florida at the time he took office.

Town attorney Clifford Goodall advised selectmen that the best way to resolve the issue was to hold a special town meeting and election.

Bates revoked his Florida residency after learning of the possible conflict. He said he would run again for the selectman seat.