§ La. R.S. 18:601(untitled)

Vacancy in state legislative office; legislative service
A.(1) If a vacancy in the office of a state legislator occurs and if six months or more of the term
remains unexpired, then within ten days of the vacancy occurring, the presiding officer of the house in which
the vacancy occurs shall issue a proclamation advising of the vacancy and ordering a special election to fill
the vacancy and shall specify in the proclamation, in accordance with R.S. 18:402, the dates on which the
primary and general elections shall be held and, in accordance with R.S. 18:467 and 468, the dates of the
qualifying period for candidates in the special election. However, if the deadline for issuing the proclamation
falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, then the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or
legal holiday shall be deemed to be the final day for issuing such proclamation. The speaker of the House
of Representatives or the president of the Senate shall immediately forward such information to the secretary
of state, who shall within twenty-four hours after receipt of the information notify all election officials having
any duty to perform in connection with a special election to fill such vacancy, including the parish boards
of election supervisors for the parish or parishes in which the vacancy occurred. The secretary of state shall
also publish the proclamation in the official journal of each parish in which the election is to be held.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection or R.S. 18:402, if a vacancy
in the office of state legislator occurs and if six months or more of the term remains unexpired and in the
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R.S. 18:602
discretion of the presiding officer of the house of the legislature in which the vacancy occurs a person may
be elected and serve during a session of the legislature which occurs prior to the next regularly scheduled
election dates provided in R.S. 18:402, then within ten days of the vacancy occurring, the presiding officer
of the house in which the vacancy occurs shall determine the dates of the primary and general elections and
the dates of the qualifying period for the election and shall issue a proclamation advising of the vacancy and
setting forth the election dates and dates of the qualifying period for candidates. However, if the deadline
for issuing the proclamation falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, then the next day which is
not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday shall be deemed to be the final day for issuing such proclamation.
The speaker of the House of Representatives or the president of the Senate shall immediately forward such
information to the secretary of state, who shall within twenty-four hours after receipt of the information
notify all election officials having any duty to perform in connection with a special election to fill such
vacancy, including the parish boards of election supervisors for the parish or parishes in which the vacancy
occurred. The secretary of state shall also publish the proclamation in the official journal of each parish in
which the election is to be held.
B. For purposes of Article III, Section 4(E) of the Constitution of Louisiana only, the service of a
person who is elected to fill an unexpired term in the office of state legislator shall begin at the time such
person takes the oath of office before his house of the legislature.