West Virginia's attorney general says Gov. Joe Manchin can put the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd's seat on the ballot in November, the Associated Press reported. Manchin requested a legal opinion from Attorney General Darrell McGraw, who issued one today. Manchin says he doesn't want voters to wait until 2012, when Byrd would have faced re-election.
Byrd had just over 30 months left in his term. Manchin may call a special legislative session to settle details such as candidate filing and party nomination deadlines. Manchin will appoint someone to fill the vacancy in the interim.
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