Under the amended law, the governor now may only choose from three names recommended by the executive committee of the outgoing senator’s state party, and must make that selection within 21 days of receiving the list from the party.
With both of Kentucky’s senators currently being Republican, the choosing of those three nominees would be up to the executive committee of the Republican Party of Kentucky, which is made up of 54 members.
After a vacancy is filled, there would be a special election with an open and bipartisan process — often referred to as a “jungle primary” — allowing any candidate gaining 1,000 signature to run. A candidate with more than 50% of the vote would win, but if no one wins a majority of the vote, the top two vote getters would go on to a runoff election in 70 days.
The timing of that election would be determined based on when the vacancy occurred.
If the vacancy occurred more than three months before a regularly scheduled election, that’s when it would take place. It the vacancy occurred less than three months before an election and a regular election is scheduled the following year, the latter election date is when the vote for the Senate seat would occur.
This is insanity.
Arizona, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, Utah, & Wyoming have similar laws according to ballotpedia.
Mind you, not disputing the insanity heh
I’m a huge liberal but doesn’t this make it a little more democratic than the governor picking someone?