VIDALIA — The Concordia Parish Police Jury will likely fill the seat vacated by Juror Randy Temple’s untimely death at its next meeting.

Temple, who died Sunday after a brief illness, was in the final year of his most recent four-year term. He had served on the jury from 1983 to 1986, but took office again in 2000 and was re-elected three times.

Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said the jury will discuss the possibility of appointing Temple’s wife Debbie to finish his term, but the plan is not finalized.

“We need to talk to her some more about it, and I will do that in the next week,” Ferrington said. “I want to make sure this is what she wants to do before we make a decision.”

Ferrington said the jury has 20 days from the time a seat is vacated to appoint a temporary juror until the seat can be filled by an election.

Temple’s term — along with the rest of the police jury — will end Dec. 31. The jury seats will be on the fall election ballot, and the new jury will take office after the New Year.

“If it was any longer than that, we would have to hold a special election, but with as short a time as we see, we can appoint someone to fulfill the term until after the election,” Ferrington said.

The police jury still has to contact the U.S. Justice Department and get the appropriate paperwork finished before any appointment can be made, he said.

The next police jury meeting will be July 27.

The police jury will be on the Oct. 24 gubernatorial ballot.

Qualifying for the races will be Sept. 8 to 10.