Alabama Constitution Section 46 - Election and terms of office of senators and representatives; vacancies in office.
Alabama Constitution – Section 46: Election and Terms of Office of Senators and Representatives; Vacancies in Office
Text of Section 46:
"Members of the house of representatives shall be elected biennially, and members of the senate shall be elected quadrennially, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, unless the legislature shall change the time of holding elections. The terms of office shall be the same as the terms of election. When vacancies occur in either house the governor shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies."
Explanation:
Section 46 outlines the election cycle, term lengths, and procedures for filling vacancies in the Alabama Legislature:
House of Representatives:
Elections held every 2 years (biennially).
Elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (same as general U.S. election timing).
Senate:
Elections held every 4 years (quadrennially).
Same election day applies unless the Legislature changes it.
Terms of Office:
A member's term length aligns with the frequency of election—i.e., 2 years for representatives and 4 years for senators.
Vacancies:
When a seat becomes vacant in either chamber, the Governor issues a writ of election to fill the seat (i.e., calls a special election).
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