Mississippi Sen. Sally Doty (R) resigned from the state legislature after Gov. Tate Reeves (R) appointed her to the executive director position of the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff on July 15. The agency advises the three-member Mississippi Public Service Commission, which regulates telecommunications, electric, gas, water and sewer utilities in the state. Doty had represented District 39 since 2012.

Doty announced her resignation in a Facebook post following the appointment, writing, “Today Governor Reeves appointed me as Executive director of the Public Utilities Staff that oversees the interests of utility rate payers and public utilities. I will resign from my seat in the Senate, and the Governor will set a special election. I’ve been honored to represent the people of SW Mississippi for the past 9 years.”

Vacancies in the Mississippi state legislature are filled by special election. Gov. Reeves set the special election for Senate District 39 to take place on September 22. There is one other vacancy in the chamber, which occurred when former Sen. Gary Jackson resigned from the District 15 seat on June 30. The governor has not yet set a date for the special election to fill that seat.

Two state legislative special elections have been scheduled in Mississippi so far this year. One, for House District 88, took place on June 23. The other, which will fill the seat representing House District 87, is scheduled for November 3.

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