In the event of a vacancy in the seat of a titular representative of the department, communes, public establishments for inter-communal cooperation, firefighters or territorial civil servants of the fire and rescue service who are not professional firefighters, this titular representative is replaced by his alternate, for the remainder of the term of office.
When the incumbent cannot be replaced by his alternate or, failing that, by his next on the list, a by-election is held for the remainder of the term of office, where this exceeds six months.