WASHINGTON, D.C. — A special election will be held to fill the unexpired term of the late Congressman David Scott (D-Georgia).

Scott, who represented parts of Newton County as part of Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday at the age of 80. His cause of death has yet to be publicly revealed.

Scott’s passing leaves a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives until Dec. 31. As a result, Gov. Brian Kemp will have to call for a special election.

According to the Georgia Code of Elections, Kemp has 10 days to issue a writ of election via an executive order. The special election would have to take place no less than 30 days after it is called. All qualified candidates will appear on one ballot, and a runoff will be scheduled in the event that the top two candidates do not receive over 50% of the vote.

The last time Kemp set a special election for Congress was for the 14th Congressional District after Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from her House seat. That order was filed on Jan. 6 with a special election date of March 10.

Prior to his death, Scott was seeking a 13th term in office in this year’s election but faced six challengers in May’s Democratic primary — Emanuel D. Jones of Henry County; Heavenly Elaine Kimes and Joe Lester of Rockdale County and Everton Blair, Jasmine Clark and Jeffree Fauntleroy of Gwinnett County.

A spokesperson from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office told Capitol Beat News Service that Scott’s name cannot be removed from the primary ballot, with early voting starting on Monday. The spokesperson added that votes cast for Scott will not count.

Should no Democrat receive over the 50% mark, the top two candidates will face off in a June runoff. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican challenger Jonathan Chavez for a two-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2027.