FARMINGTON – Candidates seeking the House District 89 seat will debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the University of Maine at Farmington’s Lincoln Auditorium in the Roberts Learning Center.

The Daily Bulldog is sponsoring the debate, which will feature candidates Democrat Dennis Haszko of Farmington and Republican Lance Harvell of Farmington.

A special election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the District 89 towns of Farmington and Industry to fill the seat vacated by Janet Mills, D-Farmington, who was elected state attorney general last month.

Woody Hanstein will serve as debate moderator. Both candidates have agreed to a format with questions taken from the moderator and the audience from cards collected at the start and read by the moderator. Both candidates will give two-minute opening and closing statements and all answers will be given equal time.

Harvell, 45, an employee at Verso Paper Co. in Jay, was nominated by the local Republican Committee to run for the House seat. Beginning in 2002, he has run for the District 89 seat three times, narrowly losing to Mills. Harvell is married and has two children.

Haszko, 41, manages a patent practice within Eaton Peabody Patent Group LLC working from offices in Farmington and Augusta. He was nominated to run by Democrats at a caucus held on Jan. 4. He serves on the SAVES board and has been a volunteer in the community. He is married and has two children.

To submit a question for the candidates ahead of time, e-mail [email protected]