BOSTON - Speaker Robert DeLeo waited nearly a month to make the decision, but the House followed his lead today and adopted an order calling for a June 15 special election to fill the House seat held until Feb. 12 by Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua.

DeLeo aides in recent weeks had deflected questions about whether DeLeo would move to schedule a special election or allow the seat to remain vacant until voters choose a successor in November.

The winner of June's election will likely be seated in time for only a month's worth of formal sessions before the 2009-2010 session kicks into a lower gear from August until it expires early next year.¬  The seat held by Lantigua will remain vacant throughout House deliberations on the fiscal 2011 state budget.

State Reps. Barry Finegold and David Torrisi, who represent parts of the city, have promoted Lawrence's interests in the House recently, helping to advance legislation to allow the city to borrow $35 million and work with a state-appointed overseer.

Several lawmakers had expressed reservations about the bill prior to Lantigua's resignation, with some reflecting public opposition to his acceptance of full-time salaries for his jobs as mayor and state representative.¬ 

A special election calendar calls for nomination papers to be submitted at the local level by April 6 and for the primary election to be held May 18.