Six legislative vacancies have been created by resignations this year. This is an unusually high amount in the first year for a new 4-year term. It also comes only one year after all 174 legislative positions were up for election. On Tuesday, Robin Robinson, Sanderson Farms executive, won a special election to replace Ramona Schwarzledge in District 88. This district includes portions of Jones and Jasper Counties. Matthew Conely and David Wayne Morgan, as well as Joseph “Bubba”, Tubb, will be voting for District 87 in Forrest and Lamar Counties. This post was made vacant by Billy Andrews’ resignation in the early part of this summer. A runoff will take place between the top two vote-getters if no candidate wins a majority of votes in the special election. The new session will begin in January and the House Speaker Philip Gunn (Lt. Governor) will be the presiding officers. Due to the resignations and election new members, Delbert Hosemann will need to manage committee assignments. Senate Judiciary A will take the vacant position in the plum committee, which was left empty by Doty’s resignation. In legislative special elections, candidates are not allowed to list their party affiliations. It is unlikely that the Senate and House will be affected by the results. Except for Dortch, all of the resignations were Republican. Stamps will replace Dortch as a Democrat. The other candidates who won this week’s election are expected to be Republicans.