Premier Stephen McNeil has announced by-elections will take place on July 14, 2015.

The by-elections will fill vacancies in the House of Assembly for the electoral districts of Dartmouth South, Cape Breton Centre, and Sydney-Whitney Pier.

The Cape Breton Centre and Sydney-Whitney Pier seats are open due to retirements while the Dartmouth South is vacant due to the death of Allan Rowe in March.

A special election has been set for July 14, 2015. The election will be held to fill vacant seats in House Districts 48, 80, 146, and 155.

If necessary, a runoff election will be held on August 11, 2015.

Photo of the Georgia State Capitol dome by Connor.carey on Wikimedia Commons.

The Office of the Secretary of State has given notice of a special election for state House District 24.

The election will be held on June 16, 2015, with a runoff election on July 14, 2015, if needed.

The vacancy was created by the May 11 resignation of Mark Hamilton, who announced plans to accept a private sector job in Tennessee.

A precept for a special election for New Hampshire state representative from Rockingham County District No. 20 was approved on May 6 by Governor Margaret Hassan.

The primary election will be held on July 7, 2015 followed by a special general election on August 25, 2015. If only one individual from each party files as a candidate there will not be a primary election and the special election will be held on July 7, 2015.

Gov. Scott Walker has called a special election for July 21, 2015, to fill the Senate District 33 seat of Paul Farrow (R), who plans to resign on July 17.

Farrow is resigning to focus on his new position as county executive of Waukesha County.

Rep. Chris Kapenga (R) and Brian Dorow, an associate dean at Waukesha County Technical College, have announced plans to run in the Republican primary on June 23.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin ordered special elections to fill vacancies in Districts 73 and 85 of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. District 85 is vacant due to the death of the Honorable David Dank; District 73 was left vacant after the Honorable Kevin Matthews won the special Democrat primary election for District 11 of the Oklahoma State Senate.

A special primary election will be held for both seats on July 14, and the special general election will follow on September 8, 2015. If a special primary is not necessary, the special general election will be held on July 14.

The Office of the Secretary of State has given notice of a special election for state House District 55. The election will be held on June 16, 2015, with a runoff election on July 14, 2015, if needed.

The vacancy was created by the April 9th resignation of Tyrone Brooks, the same day he pleaded no contest in federal court to five counts of mail and wire fraud and guilty to one count filing false tax returns.

Brooks was indicted in 2013 after prosecutors claimed he used nearly $1 million worth of donations meant for charities to pay personal and family expenses.

A federal judge in Illinois signed a consent decree Tuesday scheduling a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, who resigned last month amid ethics investigations.

Judicial approval was necessary to set the election date because Illinois election law conflicts with federal voting law.

A primary election will be held July 7 and the general election will follow on Sept. 10.

Lawmakers have passed a bill requiring a special election to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy. House Bill 1181 requires the governor to call a special election within 95 days of a Senate seat vacancy, unless the vacancy occurs within 95 days of the end of the Senate term, in which case the seat will be filled at the next regular election.

Democrats believe the bill is an attempt to discourage U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp from running for governor in 2016 since she would not be able to appoint her replacement.

The bill now goes to Gov. Jack Dalrymple for his signature.

Gov. Phil Bryant has announced a special election to fill an opening in the state House of Representatives. The election, for the House District 45 seat, will be May 5, with a runoff held on May 26 if needed.

The vacancy is a result of Rep. Bennett Malone resigning earlier this month and the winner will serve the last few months of his four-year term.

With the election occurring a month after the legislature adjourns, it is unlikely the new lawmaker will vote on bills.

On March 4, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a special election will be held on March 31 for Texas House District 124.

The winner will serve the remainder of the term for the seat left vacant by Jose Antonio Menendez. Menendez won a special election to the state senate earlier this year.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called a special election for May 5, 2015, to fill the congressional vacancy left by former Rep. Michael Grimm.

A federal judge compelled the governor to set a date for the election by February 20, 2015.

Political parties now have 12 days to designate their candidates and a few short months to campaign.

Photo of Gov. Cuomo courtesy of Pat Arnow on Wikimedia Commons.

A federal judge has ordered Gov. Andrew Cuomo to set a date by Friday, February 20, 2015, for a special election filling the congressional vacancy left by former Rep. Michael Grimm.

Judge Jack Weinstein wrote in his opinion the constituents of the 11th Congressional District, mostly covering Staten Island, are “bereft of an advocate to help them navigate the morass of government bureaucracy.”

Shortly after the federal court issued its opinion, the governor’s spokeswoman made a statement saying Cuomo will announce a date for the special election “shortly.” If Cuomo does not set a date by Friday, February 20, 2015, the judge will set a date “as promptly as the law will allow.”

A federal lawsuit has been filed against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in an attempt to force the governor to call a special election for the congressional vacancy left by former Rep. Michael Grimm. Grimm resigned from Congress in early 2015 after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud.

By law, Cuomo must call a special election to fill the seat and such election must take place 70 to 80 days after it is announced. However, the governor has no present plans of calling a special election, angering the constituents of Grimm’s former district, which encompasses Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.

The suit alleges constitutional violations and requests the court to compel Cuomo to call a special election.

Judge Jack Weinstein of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York will hear the case on February 13, 2015.

Photo of Governor Cuomo courtesy of Pat Arnow on Wikipedia.