Democrat Defeats Republican for State Senate Seat, Despite Being Deceased

Jenny Oropeza, Democratic candidate for a California Senate seat, died on October 20. Her name remained on the ballot because she died within ten days of the election.

A week after her death, Democrats sent out mailers, telling voters to still reelect Oropeza and that this would result in a Special Election in which voters could then choose their Senator. Republicans filed a complaint, claiming that the mailers were confusing voters. Despite the confusion, Oropeza defeated Republican John Stammreich.

See Erin Richards, Deceased Democrat Defeats Republican for State Senate Seat, nbc Los Angeles, Nov. 4, 2010.