The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Front Page

July 17, 2010

State Senate OKs vacancy election bill

House to vote on its version of law today

By Jim Workman Assistant Managing Editor

CHARLESTON — New legislation allowing for a special election to fill the unexpired term of the late  Sen. Robert C. Byrd is still on hold.

The Senate passed a measure Friday calling for an Aug. 28 primary and a Nov. 2 general election to decide who will serve the remaining two years of Byrd’s term.

The Senate vote was 29-1. Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, voted against the bill after failing to amend it to hold an open election on Nov. 2.

The House of Delegates will meet at 11 a.m. today to vote on its version of the measure. The Senate plans to return to return to session at 1 p.m.

The House version would skip a party primary if just one candidate files for its nomination.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant said Friday the timeliness of the bill has not been compromised.

“It might have been done (Friday), but we’re still OK on our timeline if it passes (today),” she said. “Then we expect the governor to issue a proclamation for the primary election. We’ll be prepared to start the filing period for anyone that wants to run for U.S. Senate on Monday. That will last until Thursday, I think. It just all depends on when the governor’s proclamation comes. If it comes Sunday, we start Monday. If it starts Monday, we could still start (filings) Monday but they would still have four days, so we would go until Friday. But it’s probably going to go until Thursday.

A special primary is expected to cost $5.9 million. A funding measure also on the Legislature’s special session agenda aims to cover those expenses.

On Friday, Gov. Joe Manchin appointed Charleston attorney Carte Goodwin to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Byrd died June 28.

Goodwin said he would not run in an upcoming special election.

Manchin is expected to announce his candidacy for the Senate seat next week.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.

—E-mail: jworkman@register-herald.com

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