Bill Prohibits Successor Appointment

A North Dakota legislative committee has endorsed a bill that would prohibit the governor from appointing a successor to a vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Republican Rep. Roscoe Streyle has called the measure a “pre-emptive strike” should freshman Sen. Heidi Heitkamp run for governor next year and win.

The bill would require a special election to be held 95 days after a U.S. Senate seat is vacated.

State law already requires a special election if the U.S. House seat is vacated.