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Bruce Giudici, who died after campaigning accident, leads Calaveras County supervisor race: Here's what happens if he wins
Bruce Giudici, who died after a fall while campaigning, leads the Calaveras County District 5 race by 497 votes.
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A deceased candidate in Northern California is on course to win a seat on the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, potentially creating an unusual situation in which the state's incoming governor will have to appoint someone to fill the position.
Bruce Giudici, who died in August while campaigning, was leading the race for the District 5 supervisor seat by nearly 500 votes in the county's latest unofficial election results.
According to the latest figures, Giudici received 2,002 votes, representing 57.1% of the total, while his opponent, former Supervisor Clyde Clapp, secured 1,505 votes, or 42.9%. Giudici held a lead of 497 votes.
Hundreds of ballots still await processing
Although the results are not yet final, the remaining ballots are unlikely to change the outcome, Newsweek reported, citing someone associated with Giudici's campaign.
The county elections office reported that 168 ballots had yet to be processed. Additionally, 340 ballots remained eligible for signature correction, a process that allows voters to resolve missing or mismatched signatures.
It remains uncertain how many of these outstanding ballots belong to District 5. The next update to the unofficial results is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, while the official election results must be certified by December 3.
"There are a few hundred ballots left to process, but it is unlikely that the outcome of the race will change," Carrie Biggs-Adams, a volunteer with Giudici's campaign, told KCRA in Sacramento.
Candidate died following campaigning accident
Giudici, 68, died after suffering a serious head injury while campaigning in Valley Springs on August 30.
He had been visiting voters door-to-door when he fell on a steep driveway. A homeowner immediately contacted emergency services, and Giudici was transported to San Joaquin General Hospital, where he died the following day.
His name remained on the ballot because California election law does not permit the removal of a candidate who dies after the 68th day preceding an election. Consequently, votes cast for Giudici continued to count.
A similar situation occurred in Texas this year, where a Brazoria County justice of the peace who died in September also remained on the ballot.
Following Giudici's death, his campaign shared an emotional message on social media: "Bruce may be gone, but his mission continues."
Biggs-Adams explained that continuing the campaign was not an easy decision for those involved.
"It was a very complicated decision to decide to keep going and an emotional one, and we felt very strongly that Bruce had wanted to do this," she said.
Background and campaign priorities
Giudici previously worked as a fiscal officer at the Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency, a nonprofit organization. He held both bachelor's and graduate degrees from the University of California, Davis.
During his campaign, he focused on several local concerns, including responsible government spending, wildfire preparedness, public safety and improving the county's deteriorating roads.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and their two daughters, according to his obituary.
Roberta Corso, Giudici's campaign treasurer and a close friend, remembered him as someone with exceptional financial abilities. Speaking to The New York Times, she described him as "wicked smart with numbers."
What happens if Giudici officially wins?
If the remaining ballots do not change the current results and Giudici's victory is confirmed by December 3, California law will recognize him as the elected candidate.
However, since he is deceased and cannot assume office, the District 5 position will become vacant when the new supervisory term begins in January.
Under California law, the governor is responsible for appointing someone to fill vacancies on county boards of supervisors. This means Governor-elect Xavier Becerra will have the authority to select Giudici's replacement.
Becerra, a Democrat who won the November 3 gubernatorial election, is scheduled to take office on January 4, 2027.
The Calaveras County elections office will have no involvement in selecting the replacement. The governor's appointee is expected to serve until voters elect a successor, potentially through the March 2028 primary election.
Political implications for Republican-leaning Calaveras County
The appointment could have political significance because Calaveras County traditionally supports Republican candidates, despite the governor's office being held by a Democrat.
Although elections for county supervisor are officially nonpartisan, the county has consistently voted Republican in presidential elections over several decades.
The political divide was also evident in this month's gubernatorial contest. Republican candidate Steve Hilton received 63.7% of the vote in Calaveras County, carrying the county despite winning only a relatively small number of counties statewide.
If Becerra appoints a replacement following Giudici's expected victory, a Democratic governor will effectively have the opportunity to select a supervisor for a county that strongly favors Republican candidates.
The unusual election outcome could therefore leave Calaveras County with an unexpected political development: a deceased candidate potentially winning office, followed by a gubernatorial appointment to fill the seat he never gets to occupy.
