[1] The seat fell vacant after the death of the incumbent five-term assemblyman and former Menteri Besar of Kelantan, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat from prostate cancer in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan on 12 February 2015.
[2] Niz Aziz was a member of PAS, part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
[3] The Chempaka by-election saw a five-way battle between PAS's Ahmad Fathan Mahmood and independent candidates Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary, Fadzillah Hussin, Aslah Mamat and Sharif Mahmood.
UMNO had resolved not to contest the election, ostensibly to focus on flood relief efforts in Kelantan.
[6][7] PAS candidate Ahmad Fathan Mahmood won the election with a landslide garnering 96.4% of the votes.