(a) In Houston County, vacancies on the Houston County Commission occurring due to death, disability, resignation, or nonresidency shall be filled by special elections called to fill any unexpired term and called by the judge of probate. Notice of such special elections shall be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation in the county for a period of four weeks prior to any such elections.
(b) The provisions of this section shall be curative and retroactive and any filling of a vacancy on the commission heretofore made by any special election is hereby validated and shall be deemed to be valid under the authority of this section.