Justice Robert Benham announced Thursday that he will resign from his post March 1, apparently ending what had been a four-candidate race for his seat on the state Supreme Court and injecting a major change in a race for the Court of Appeals.

A 1992 opinion of the state Attorney General states that a new judge must face the first election that is more than six months after his or her appointment. With the May 19 election only 2½ months after Benham’s announced retirement date, whomever Gov. Brian Kemp appoints as a successor will not have to face voters until 2022.