Candidates lining up to replace Rep. Athena Salman at the state House. See who they are.

Arizona House Democrats will start the legislative session in January with one missing member, giving Republicans a temporary three-seat edge in the closely divided chamber.

But at least seven candidates have thus far lined up to fill the seat that Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, will vacate on Dec. 31.

The district's precinct committee plans to meet Jan. 9 to pick three candidates who could replace the four-term lawmaker, said Steven Jackson, chairman of the Legislative District 8 Democrats. State law requires the replacement to be from the same party as the departing lawmaker.

Salman announced earlier this month she is leaving her post to head up a local organization that promotes reproductive health choices.

The district meeting will fall one day after the start of the 2024 session. Typically, lawmakers in the first week of the session do not tackle substantive issues. The period is instead dominated by news conferences and organizational meetings for legislative committees.

Once the Democrats pick three nominees, the names will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which will appoint one to fill out the rest of Salman's term. It runs through January 2025.

This would be the fifth replacement the board has made since early 2023, in addition to one replacement made by the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

Thus far, Jackson said seven people have expressed interest in the appointment, and more names are likely to be added to the list.

The candidates are:

• Janeen Connolly, who is running for the District 8 House seat in 2024

• Kendra Flory, the second vice chair for the LD8 Democrats

• Jana Lynn Granillo, a commissioner on Tempe's Neighborhood Advisory Committee and chair of the Meyer Park Neighborhood Association

• Jevin Hodge, who last year narrowly lost a bid for the Congressional District 1 seat to U.S. Rep. David Schweikert and in 2020 lost a close race for Maricopa County supervisor

• Nick Mink, a political organizer who is currently the coalition leader for Progressive Victory, which promotes progressive candidates

• Deborah Nardozzi, former chair of Legislative District 24, the legislative district that currently encompasses much of LD8 (boundary lines were changed in the 2021 redistricting process)

• Jacob Raiford, currently the first vice chair of the LD8 Democrats

The Arizona Legislature, one year into its two-year term, has lost members who were elected in the 2022 elections, either due to resignations or expulsion.

The appointment of someone to fill Salman's vacancy may not be the final legislative departure. The House Ethics Committee is weighing a complaint against Rep. Leeza Sun, D-Phoenix, which could lead to some form of punishment, including expulsion.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Legislative session will start with one Democratic vacancy