Special Elections

Special Elections were added in 0.235 and were added alongside deaths and retirements that can occur to legislators. Specifically, state representatives, state senators, senators, and representatives can retire early due to heath reasons, or die in office. Also, incumbent senators who are up the same class that the presidential election occurs - or are nominated to the Vice Presidency from said class, can be replaced if the ticket wins the general election. The game cannot handle vacancies, so the governor of the state will immediately fill in the seat with an appointee who is a member of the governors party.

The Campaign
The period in which special elections occur is during off years - i.e. 2015, 2017, 2019 etc. The primary occurs at two weeks: Week 2 and Week 48. The appointee is unopposed, with the opposite party member usually in a primary against one other person - except in states with non-partisan primaries, where all three members are facing each other. The winners of the primary(ies) will go on to face each other in the general election three weeks later: Week 5 and Week 52.

The system is a very simple one, and there is no campaigns at all, with the game determining who won based on policies, and the seat's partisan lean.

Player options
As a governor, or a protege with a governor, the player directs the appointment of politicians when the vacancy occurs. Players are only able to run if they are in the state house, state senate, or representative. with them also having to be in the district that is vacated to be able to run in it. Players may also be chosen as the appointee, based on party affiliation and policy agreement with the governor. They can also reject the option for appointment. If a senator is vacated, then the player has the option to run in the primary to win the special election.