§1278. Vacancies; United States senator

            A. The governor may fill any vacancy in the office of United States senator by appointment. If the United States Senate is in session when the vacancy occurs, the governor shall appoint a senator to fill the vacancy within ten days after receiving official notice of the vacancy.

NOTE: Subsection B eff. until June 12, 2025, for certain purposes, and eff. until Jan. 1, 2026, for all other purposes. See Acts 2024, No. 640, Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, and Acts 2025, No. 386.

            B. If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator and the unexpired term is more than one year, an appointment to fill the vacancy shall be temporary. Any senator so appointed shall serve until his successor is elected at a special election and takes office. Within ten days after receiving official notice of the vacancy, the governor shall issue a proclamation for special election to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The date of the special election shall be established by the governor in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:402(E). The dates of the qualifying period shall be established by the governor in accordance with R.S. 18:467, 467.1, and 468. Within twenty-four hours after its issuance, the governor shall send a copy of the proclamation to the secretary of state. Within twenty-four hours after he receives the copy, the secretary of state shall notify all election officials having any duty to perform in connection with a special election to fill such vacancy, including the parish boards of election supervisors for the parish or parishes in which the vacancy occurred. Immediately thereafter, the secretary of state shall publish the proclamation in the official journal of each parish in which the election is to be held. The election shall be conducted and the returns shall be certified as in regular elections for United States senator.

NOTE: Subsection B as amended by Acts 2025, No. 386, eff. June 12, 2025, for certain purposes, and eff. Jan. 1, 2026, for all other purposes. See Acts 2024, No. 640, Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, and Acts 2025, No. 386.

            B. If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator and the unexpired term is more than one year, an appointment to fill the vacancy shall be temporary. Any senator so appointed shall serve until his successor is elected at a special election and takes office. Within ten days after receiving official notice of the vacancy, the governor shall issue a proclamation for special election to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The date of the special election shall be established by the governor in accordance with the procedures and on the election dates established in this Code. The dates of the qualifying period shall be established by the governor on dates in compliance with the provisions of this Code. Within twenty-four hours after its issuance, the governor shall send a copy of the proclamation to the secretary of state. Within twenty-four hours after he receives the copy, the secretary of state shall notify all election officials having any duty to perform in connection with a special election to fill such vacancy, including the parish boards of election supervisors for the parish or parishes in which the vacancy occurred. Immediately thereafter, the secretary of state shall publish the proclamation in the official journal of each parish in which the election is to be held. The election shall be conducted and the returns shall be certified as in regular elections for United States senator.

            C. If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator and the unexpired term is one year or less, no special election shall be called by the governor and, if a senator is appointed to fill the vacancy, he shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term, and his successor shall be elected at the next regular election for United States senator.

            Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1978, No. 38, §1, eff. May 31, 1978; Acts 1980, No. 792, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 1981, No. 76, §1, eff. June 26, 1981; Acts 1997, No. 1420, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 2006, No. 560, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007; Acts 2007, No. 240, §1; Acts 2010, No. 570, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2022, No. 274, §1, eff. June 3, 2022; Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2024, No. 640, §2, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 386, §§ 3, 7, eff. June 20, 2025.