SB15 Alabama 2018 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Rusty Glover
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2018
Title: Legislature, House or Senate, vacancies, after Oct 1 of third year, seat to remain vacant until next term, Sec. 46 repealed and replaced, const. amend.
Summary: The bill would change how Alabama fills legislative vacancies by leaving late-term vacancies empty until the next general election instead of filling them mid-term.
What This Bill Does
It amends the Constitution to say that if a vacancy occurs on or after October 1 of the third year of a quadrennium, the seat stays vacant until the next general election. For vacancies not meeting that timing, the Governor would issue a writ of election to fill the remainder of the term, with an unopposed candidate potentially winning without a vote and the Secretary of State issuing a certificate of election; election costs would be paid from the state treasury. In short, late-term vacancies are not filled until the next general election, while other vacancies still follow the standard election process.

Who It Affects
Senators and representatives (legislators) — vacancies occurring late in a term would not be filled until the next general election, while other vacancies follow the standard process.
Governor — retains authority to call elections for vacancies, but the late-term vacancy timing changes the need to fill the seat mid-term.
Secretary of State — handles nomination filings, determines if an election is unopposed, issues certificates of election, and oversees costs related to elections.
Voters in affected districts — may have to wait longer to elect a successor for late-term vacancies, affecting when representatives or senators are seated.

Key Provisions
Repeals current Section 46 and adds a new Section 46 to the Alabama Constitution.
New rule: if a vacancy occurs on or after October 1 of the third year of a quadrennium, the seat remains vacant until the next general election.
For vacancies not triggered by the late-term rule, the Governor issues a writ of election to fill the remainder of the term; unopposed candidates may be certified without an election; the Secretary of State issues the certificate of election; election costs are paid from the state treasury.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Constitutional Amendments