HARRISBURG — Berks County voters will decide in March who will replace the late Sen. Michael O’Pake, the veteran Democrat who died last month from heart-surgery complications.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Joe Scarnati announced that the special election to fill O’Pake’s seat will occur March 15.

Scarnati says he wants to replace O’Pake as soon as possible because the state faces a number of pressing issues.

A Republican State Committee spokesman says the party’s rules will leave selection of its candidate up to the Berks County Republican Party.

The Democratic candidate will be nominated by members of the Berks county and state committees who live within the senatorial distric.

O’Pake was Pennsylvania’s longest-serving state lawmaker when he died Dec. 27.