Clouse sponsors bill changing law on special elections for U.S Senate

Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) recently pre-filed a bill that would mandate special elections for U.S. Senate seats in Alabama be held during the next regularly scheduled statewide election.

The measure would bring clarity to controversy created by the resignation of Senator Jeff Sessions who was appointed the nation’s attorney general in January.

Then Governor Robert Bentley, the following month, appointed Luther Strange and set a special election to fill Sessions’ unexpired term for November, 2018 when statewide offices will be voted on.

After Bentley resigned a few weeks later and Kay Ivey became governor she rescheduled the election to this year.

Clouse’s main motivation for sponsoring the bill is money. “The state fiscal office has determined it takes about $3.5-million to run a statewide election and lots of people didn’t realize in the special election going on now voters go to the polls three times,” Clouse said Monday. The primary was held August 28, a runoff between Strange and Roy Moore is set for September, and the general election in December.

Beyond the $10-milllion the state will likely spend on the election process to replace Sessions, Clouse believes the current law passed almost 100 years ago needs clarity. “The keyword in the law is that the election will be held forthwith which means without delay.” He believes Ivey did the correct thing to reset the election to this year considering the current law.

Clouse’s bill will be considered by lawmakers when the regular legislative that begins January 9. He concedes that it might be years before it’s needed since almost four decades passed between the last special election for U.S. Senate and the current one.

The winner of this year's special election must run again in 2020 when Sessions term ends.