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When does Georgia hold special elections or primaries to fill a vacated U.S. House seat?
Executive summary
Georgia law requires that a called special election be held no sooner than 29 days after the Secretary of State’s call; in practice the Secretary’s “call” sets the special primary (if needed), special primary runoff, and special election dates and qualifying windows—examples in 2025 show special primaries in June/July and special general elections in November or December depending on the office [1] [2] [3]. Recent 2025 calls for vacancies in U.S. House or state seats were scheduled with qualifying deadlines weeks before the special election and with advance voting periods beginning roughly two to six weeks prior [4] [5] [2].
1. How a vacancy becomes a calendar: the Secretary of State’s “call” and the 29‑day rule
Under Georgia practice the Secretary of State issues the formal “call” for a special election and that call triggers statutory timing requirements; Georgia’s 2025 election calendar emphasizes that “at least 29 days shall intervene between the call of a special election and the holding of same,” so the shortest legally permissible window is about a month from call to ballot [1]. The Secretary’s notices for 2025 special elections repeatedly set primary, runoff and general special dates after issuing that call, which establishes the qualifying period, registration deadlines and advance voting start dates [2] [4].
2. What to expect in a federal vacancy: primaries, runoffs and a final special election
If a U.S. House seat in Georgia becomes vacant, the Secretary of State will call a special election and — depending on timing and party rules — there can be a special primary, special primary runoff, and then the special general election; recent 2025 calls for other offices mirrored that structure: a special primary on June 17 and a special primary runoff (if needed) on July 15 were paired with a November special election in the Secretary’s PSC call [2]. Ballot timing will therefore reflect both state statutory minimums and practical scheduling by the Secretary of State [1] [2].
3. Real‑world 2025 patterns: November and December special election dates
Georgia’s 2025 special elections demonstrate two common outcomes: many special contests were scheduled for the November 4, 2025 consolidated date (Public Service Commission and several statehouse special elections), while some local or legislative contests showed December special dates (e.g., a December 9 special election for State House Districts called in late 2025) [2] [4] [3] [5]. County election offices and the Secretary’s calendar show advance voting typically begins two to four weeks before the special election [4] [6].
4. Qualifying, registration and advance voting windows you should watch
The Secretary of State’s calls include qualifying windows (dates and times candidates must file) and the voter registration cutoffs for each special election; sample 2025 calls list qualifying in September for a November special and voter registration deadlines about 30 days before election day [4] [2]. Advance in‑person absentee voting in those 2025 examples began roughly two to four weeks before the special election, and counties publish their own advance voting calendars tied to the Secretary’s schedule [4] [6].
5. Runoffs are common and add weeks to the process
Georgia’s majority‑vote requirement for many offices means runoffs frequently follow special primaries or the special general if no candidate wins the required threshold; the Secretary’s 2025 notices explicitly set runoff dates months after primaries (e.g., primary runoff July 15 following June 17 primary) and counties note potential runoff dates in their calendars [2] [7]. The 29‑day rule applies to each called election stage, so runoffs extend the timeline beyond the initial special election call [1].
6. What the 2025 examples say about filling a U.S. House vacancy
Available sources document how Georgia scheduled many different special contests in 2025, and they show the Secretary uses the statutory minimums and the statewide election calendar to place special primaries and general specials on existing election dates when possible [1] [2] [4]. However, none of the provided sources give a single, plain‑language summary that lists the exact step‑by‑step procedure specifically for U.S. House vacancies; the pattern from other called special elections is the closest analogue in current reporting [2] [4].
7. Practical takeaways for voters and candidates
If a Georgia U.S. House seat opens, expect: (a) a Secretary of State call that sets dates at least 29 days ahead; (b) a qualifying window and candidate filing fees announced with that call; (c) a special primary and potential runoff schedule if party nominations are needed; and (d) advance voting beginning a few weeks before the special election—mirroring how Georgia scheduled multiple 2025 special contests [1] [2] [4]. For precise deadlines in a future vacancy, check the Secretary of State’s formal “Call for Special Election” and your county election office because the actual dates and qualifying rules will be spelled out there [2] [4].
Limitations: source documents in this set describe many 2025 special election calls (statehouse, PSC and senate seats) and the general 29‑day rule, but available sources do not mention a single, consolidated statutory flowchart exclusively for U.S. House vacancies; consult the Secretary of State’s call for the specific vacancy when it is issued [1] [2].