---
title: "In California, candidate who died two months ago is leading in county board election"
description: "In Calaveras County, California, Bruce Giudici, who died on August 31, is leading the race for the Board of Supervisors. Preliminary data shows he captured about 57% of the vote, ahead of Clyde Clapp."
date: 2026-11-13T15:33:28.401Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/california-deceased-candidate-leading-board-election
tags: [california, us-elections, calaveras-county, local-politics]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# In California, candidate who died two months ago is leading in county board election

![Portrait of a smiling Bruce Giudici wearing a straw hat and glasses against a light background](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/13/kaliforniya-umershiy-kandidat-lidiruet-na-vyborakh-soveta-okruga/kaliforniya-umershiy-kandidat-lidiruet-na-vyborakh-soveta-okruga-1.webp)

## Key Points

- In the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors election in California on November 3, 2026, preliminary results show deceased candidate Bruce Giudici leading with about 57% of the vote against Clyde Clapp's 43%.
- Giudici's name remained on the ballot because he died after the withdrawal deadline; his campaign urged voters to support him.
- If Giudici wins, the Governor of California will appoint an interim supervisor until a special election can be held, potentially in March 2028.

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.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [В Калифорнии на выборах в совет округа лидирует кандидат, умерший два месяца назад. Местные жители решили: пусть лучше победит он, чем его соперник](https://meduza.io/feature/2026/11/13/v-kalifornii-na-vyborah-v-sovet-okruga-lidiruet-kandidat-umershiy-dva-mesyatsa-nazad-mestnye-zhiteli-reshili-pust-luchshe-pobedit-on-chem-ego-sopernik) - Primary source basis: death date 08/31/2026, results 57%/43%, rivalry history 2016–2026, precedents from 2000 and 1972.
- [Умерший два месяца назад кандидат лидирует на выборах в совет округа в Калифорнии](https://caliber.az/post/umershij-dva-mesyaca-nazad-kandidat-lidiruet-na-vyborah-v-sovet-okruga-v-kalifornii) - KCRA data: 56.99% (1,982) vs 43.01% (1,496), 322 uncounted ballots, 340 pending clarification; injury on 08/30, death the next day; quote from Carrie Biggs-Adams.
- [В Калифорнии умерший кандидат лидирует на выборах в совет округа](https://news.ru/usa/v-kalifornii-umershij-kandidat-lidiruet-na-vyborah-v-sovet-okruga) - Confirms 56.99% (1,982) vs 43.01% (1,496) according to KCRA 3 and the county election office.
- [Смерть не помеха: умерший кандидат лидирует на выборах в Калифорнии](https://www.5-tv.ru/news/5095068/smert-nepomekha-umersij-kandidat-lidiruet-navyborakh-vkalifornii-aii/) - Confirms death date 08/31 and fall circumstances; indicates that upon victory, the governor will appoint a successor.

## FAQ

### Why did the deceased candidate stay on the ballot?

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Giudici's name was not removed from the ballot because he passed away after the deadline for disqualifying or removing a candidate had expired.

### Who gets the seat if Giudici wins?

Giudici himself cannot take office. Under California law, if he wins, the state governor will appoint an interim supervisor to serve until a new election is held, which could happen in March 2028.

### Is this kind of case unique in the US?

No. The New York Times points out precedents: in 2000, Mel Carnahan was elected senator from Missouri after dying before the election (his widow Jean took the seat), and in 1972, missing congressmen Hale Boggs and Nick Begich were re-elected.