In the mid-term elections to the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in California, held on November 3, 2026, local resident Bruce Giudici is leading according to preliminary results — despite having passed away on August 31, 2026, at the age of 68. According to data published on November 10, in the race for the District 5 seat, Giudici secured 56.99% of the vote (1,982 votes), ahead of his opponent Clyde Clapp, who received 43.01% (1,496 votes). Vote counting was still ongoing at the time of publication: 322 ballots remained uncounted, and another 340 required clarification due to discrepancies or missing signatures. Nevertheless, as The New York Times notes, the preliminary results point to a likely victory for the deceased candidate.

How the deceased candidate stayed on the ballot

According to the San Francisco Chronicle and KCRA, Giudici suffered a fatal injury on August 30 when, while canvassing neighborhoods, he tripped on a steep driveway at one of the homes and fell, sustaining a head injury. He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors were unable to save the politician, and he passed away the next day, August 31. The candidate's name remained on the ballot because he died after the deadline for removing a candidate from the vote had passed. Giudici's campaign team urged the electorate to cast their votes for the politician anyway. «It was a very difficult decision to keep going, and an emotional one. We were firmly convinced that Bruce wanted to do this, this was his mission, and our goal was to complete his mission», said campaign volunteer Carrie Biggs-Adams.

A decade-long political rivalry

The New York Times characterizes Giudici's death as an unexpected twist in a political rivalry in Calaveras County that has lasted for about a decade. In 2016, a supervisor seat became vacant early; Giudici and Clapp competed for the position, and Clapp won at the time. However, two years later he lost a bid for a full term to Ben Stopper. Stopper was re-elected to a new four-year term in 2022, but in 2026 lost the primary election to Clapp and Giudici. Following Giudici's death, his supporters urged voting for the deceased candidate to prevent the return to the board of Clapp, whom they portray as a figure with a dubious past, a tendency to mislead voters, and nepotism. Giudici himself was presented by supporters as a candidate who stood «for responsible financial management, ethical leadership, and putting residents' interests first», urging voters to honor «Bruce's ideals» at the polls.

Endorsement from the incumbent supervisor

Incumbent District 5 Supervisor Ben Stopper also stated that he would support Giudici's candidacy even after his death. «He is the best candidate for the job, even in this unfortunate situation», he said, effectively acknowledging that voting for the deceased politician serves the county's best interests.

What happens next

If Giudici is officially declared the winner, the future Governor of California, Xavier Becerra, will appoint an interim county supervisor to hold the position until a new election is held, which estimates suggest could take place in March 2028. Thus, the formal result of voting for the deceased candidate does not mean he will take office — it merely determines the procedure for appointing a successor.

Precedents in US history

The New York Times notes that the situation involving a deceased candidate in the Calaveras County election is not unique. In 2000, Mel Carnahan, who died in a plane crash a few weeks before the vote, was elected U.S. Senator from Missouri; that seat was ultimately filled by his widow, Jean, who became the first female senator from Missouri. In 1972, two congressmen — Hale Boggs of Louisiana and Nick Begich of Alaska — were re-elected after the plane they were on went missing on the eve of the election.