Newborn must find a new leader to guide the town for the next four years after respected Mayor Roger Sheridan died last week at the age of 92

Town Clerk Lisa Rowe said Newborn will have a special election in March to select a new mayor. Sheridan was re-elected this November, so the replacement’s term will last for four years.

Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Mark Vandervoet is acting mayor for the month of December, Rowe said. In January, the council will officially appoint an acting mayor to serve until after the March election.

The last time a special election was discussed in Newborn, to fill a council post for which no candidates filed to run, the cost was estimated to be close to $6,000, according to Rowe. The town will have to pay to have three people in the office for 21 days at eight hours a day for early voting, plus the cost of ballots, Rowe said at the time.

If only one person qualifies to run, the town does not have to hold an election.

Newborn had a population of 696 as of the 2010 Census.

The town has a January-to-December budget year, and its 2014 budget is $386,425.