JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Gov. Phil Bryant has scheduled a special election for Jan. 15 to fill a vacancy in the state Senate.

The qualifying deadline for candidates for the Senate District 16 election is Dec. 17. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, runoff is Feb. 5.

The winner will complete the expired term of Sen. Bennie Turner, a Democrat from West Point, who died Nov. 27.

Senate District 16 is comprised of Clay County and parts of Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Noxubee counties.