A special election was held in on December 15, 1802, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of John Milledge (DR), who had been elected Governor of Georgia. The winner would only finish the term ending March 3, 1803. A separate election would also be held in October 1803 to fill the seat for the next term.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Early | Democratic-Republican | 2,401 | 69.11% |
| Joseph Bryan | Democratic-Republican | 1,058 | 30.45% |
| Matthew MacAlister | Federalist | 10 | 0.29% |
| Cowles Mead | Democratic-Republican | 3 | 0.09% |
| Scattering | 2 |