Under SB 105, the process moves from the governor choosing among “any qualified successor” to a requirement that a legislative committee prepares a slate of three candidates. Those candidates must be from the same party as the predecessor, and the governor selects from that slate.
The law also addresses timing: if the vacancy occurs on or after May 1 in an election year, the appointed senator may serve until the next congressional election two years later. The fact brief describes how other states use related systems that can allow additional time in certain circumstances.
Kansas voters and civic groups may want to understand these rules because they determine how quickly a party’s Senate seat can be filled and how long the appointee remains in office when a vacancy happens close to election season.