U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions was confirmed as President Trump’s attorney general on February 8, 2017.

To fill the Senate vacancy, Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed state Attorney General Luther Strange to succeed Sessions. Bentley’s appointee will serve the U.S. Senate with 22 months of incumbency until the next general election.

Some controversy surrounds Bentley’s appointment; state Auditor Jim Ziegler filed a written request with Bentley opposing his decision to appoint a replacement and hold off with special elections until November 2018.

Ziegler cited Alabama code stating a special election could only be delayed until the next regular election if the senate vacancy occurred within four months of the next regular election.

Photo of Senator Luther Strange from the State of Alabama website.

Gov. Bentley will call a special session. The session will focus on a constitutional amendment allowing a statewide lottery.

Alabama is one of six states without a lottery, and Bentley believes it will solve the state’s funding problem.

The dates of the special session have not been determined.

Photo of Gov. Bentley by Sutherland Boswell on Wikimedia Commons.

Due to inclement weather, Governor Bentley has re-scheduled the special general election for House District 104 in Mobile and the special primary run-off elections for House District 31 covering Elmore and Coosa counties and House District 53 in Birmingham, all scheduled to take place Tuesday, January 28, 2014.

The elections will now be held on February 4, 2014.