what happens when a senator dies

When a senator dies, resigns, or is expelled, the Seventeenth Amendment allows state legislatures to empower the governor to appoint a replacement to complete the term or to hold office until a special election can take place. However, some states require a special election to fill a vacancy, and a few states require the governor to appoint a replacement of the same political party as the previous incumbent. The process for filling a vacancy in the office of a United States senator varies by state, but in most states, the governor has the power to appoint a temporary replacement. In most of those states, governors have free rein to appoint whomever they wish, with the appointee serving until a successor is elected to fill out the rest of the term. If a vacancy in the office of United States senator occurs more than one hundred fifty days before the next regular primary election date, the person who is appointed shall continue to serve until the vacancy is filled at the next general election. If a vacancy in the office of United States senator occurs one hundred fifty days or less before the next regular primary election date, the person who is appointed shall serve until the vacancy is filled at the second regular general election held after the vacancy occurs, and the person elected shall fill the remaining unexpired term.