Vacancies in Elected Offices

This memorandum provides an overview of the process to fill vacancies in various elected offices at the federal, state, and local levels.  A vacancy in an elected office occurs when an office holder resigns or dies during his or her elected term.   A vacancy may also occur when an elected official moves outside of the district he or she represents.  Vacancies in federal, state, and local elected offices in Colorado are filled in a variety of ways, including appointments, vacancy elections, and political party vacancy committees.