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Committee approves bill to let state delegates fill most statewide vacancies
Summary
Senate Bill 300 would shift selection of replacement candidates for most statewide offices from party state central committees to the full body of party delegates; the committee gave the bill a favorable recommendation.
Senator Daniel McKay described Senate Bill 300 on Feb. 20 as a change to party procedure for filling vacancies in statewide offices other than governor and lieutenant governor. Under current practice, McKay said, a party’s state central committee selects three nominees and forwards them to the governor for formal nomination; SB 300 would allow the full body of the party’s state delegates to make that selection instead.
“Rather than have the state central committee be the electors, this goes to all of the state delegates on a state level,” a committee member summarized during questions. McKay confirmed the bill does not prescribe the mechanics of that selection — for example, whether the delegates would meet in person or vote remotely — but noted parties used a virtual convention in 2020 and could adopt remote voting again to limit cost.
McKay framed the change as a response from some party members who said state central committees are not direct, neighborhood‑level delegates but managing bodies and therefore should not be the sole nominating body. He said the proposal was aimed at giving “the entire body of delegates” the choice when a vacancy occurs.
There was no public comment and no fiscal impacts discussed at the hearing. The committee voted to recommend SB 300 favorably; the motion passed unanimously.
