Elections; public official's qualification as candidate deemed resignation of current office.

SB 2009 would require an elected official to resign their current position if they qualify as a candidate for another public office whose term begins during their existing term. This applies directly to state or local elected officials seeking a new office with overlapping terms. The bill's key mechanism is automatically treating candidacy as a resignation, creating a vacancy that would be filled per existing laws. The bill died in committee in February 2026 and would have taken effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.