What are Georgia’s procedures and timeline for filling a U.S. House vacancy in 2026?

1. The constitutional baseline: elections, not appointments

The Constitution requires that vacancies in the U.S. House be filled by election and vests the “Executive Authority” of the state — the governor — with issuing the writ for that election ^[1]. Federal law does not permit a temporary gubernatorial appointment to the House seat in the interim; that differs from the Senate ^[4]. This constitutional rule frames everything Georgia does when a House seat opens ^{[1] [4]}.

2. Who schedules the special election in Georgia — and under what authority

Responsibility for ordering and scheduling a special election is vested in the governor, while state statutes prescribe specific timelines and nomination processes; congressional research makes clear the pattern: governors issue the writs and state law governs scheduling ^[2]. EveryCRS and related CRS analyses emphasize that states vary substantially in nomination procedures and that Georgia is one of the states with distinct special‑election rules ^{[2] [3]}.

3. How Georgia’s nomination and voting mechanics typically work

CRS and EveryCRS reporting identify Georgia among a small group of states (including Louisiana and Texas) that often “conjoin the nomination and election process” for House special elections — meaning an all‑candidate special election can be held where the top vote‑getter wins only if she/he achieves a required threshold, otherwise a runoff follows ^[3]. Ballotpedia and CRS summaries reiterate that in the first session of a Congress special elections are mandatory and that many states (including Georgia) use plurality or majority/runoff rules as defined in state law ^{[5] [2]}.

4. The runoff wrinkle and timeline implications

EveryCRS reporting notes that several southern states require a majority to win and therefore provide for a runoff if no candidate gets a majority; Georgia’s special‑election practice falls into this category in practice ^[3]. That means a vacancy can trigger an initial special election and, if no majority winner emerges, a second date weeks later for the runoff — lengthening the time the seat remains vacant ^{[3] [2]}. Specific interval lengths and exact scheduling (how many days between writ, initial election, and potential runoff) are prescribed in Georgia law; available sources describe the general mechanism but do not provide the exact day counts from vacancy to election for Georgia in 2026 ^{[2] [3]}. Available sources do not mention the precise statutory day counts for Georgia in 2026.

5. Practical calendar factors in 2026

Because the U.S. House rules and CRS summaries differentiate between vacancies occurring in the first vs. second session of a Congress, timing in 2026 will depend on when a vacancy occurs relative to the congressional calendar; the law requires special elections in the first session and gives states more discretion in the second session depending on how close the next general election is ^{[1] [2]}. For Georgia seats that would otherwise be on the November 3, 2026 general ballot, state officials and courts could factor proximity to that date into scheduling decisions, but the provided sources do not report a Georgia‑specific contingency rule for 2026 beyond the general federal/state pattern ^{[1] [2]}. Available sources do not mention any Georgia‑specific 2026 statute amendments or one‑off calendar rules.

6. Where to find the exact, binding dates and candidate rules

CRS and Ballotpedia point readers to state election law and the governor’s writ as the operative instruments: the governor issues the call and Georgia law sets nomination rules, ballot access, and whether a majority/runoff is required ^{[2] [5]}. For a precise timeline — for example, the number of days after a vacancy within which the governor must call the election, the candidate qualifying window, and the runoff schedule — consult the Georgia Secretary of State’s candidate qualifying handbook and any specific writ issued by the governor; the 2024 Candidate Qualifying Handbook is the type of official source that contains those statutory details for state offices ^[6]. The Secretary of State’s public notices for recent special elections (e.g., a state House special election notice) show how the office announces initial and potential runoff dates in practice ^[7].

7. Competing perspectives and practical consequences

Legal and policy observers emphasize two competing priorities: (a) speed — minimizing vacancy time to preserve representation — which argues for prompt special elections once a seat opens; and (b) inclusive nomination rules and majority thresholds — which can lengthen timelines through runoffs but are defended as ensuring broader voter consensus ^{[2] [3]}. CRS notes that states’ divergent practices reflect these tradeoffs, and Georgia’s runoff‑capable model embodies the tradeoff between promptness and majority legitimacy ^{[2] [3]}.

8. Bottom line and next steps for someone tracking a 2026 vacancy

Bottom line: Georgia will fill any U.S. House vacancy by special election called by the governor under state law; Georgia’s procedures can produce an initial all‑candidate special election followed by a runoff if no majority emerges ^{[1] [3]}. To get the definitive 2026 timeline and candidate‑qualifying rules for a particular vacancy, you must consult the governor’s writ and the Georgia Secretary of State’s official materials (candidate handbook and call notices) at the time of the vacancy — the sources above describe the legal framework but do not list the exact day‑by‑day statutory countdown for 2026 ^{[6] [7] [2]}.