If Tillis Resigns from the Senate

If Thom Tillis resigns from his U.S. Senate seat, North Carolina state law outlines the process to fill the vacancy. The governor appoints a replacement of the same political party as the departing senator, but the appointee must be one of three candidates nominated by the state executive committee of that party. Since Tillis is a Republican, Governor Josh Stein (a Democrat) would select from a list provided by the North Carolina Republican Party’s executive committee. The appointee serves until a special election, which is held during the next general election for the U.S. House of Representatives (typically in November of an even-numbered year), provided the vacancy occurs at least 90 days prior. The winner of the special election serves the remainder of Tillis’s term, which ends in 2027. If the vacancy occurs within 90 days of the general election, the appointee serves until the following general election.