US elections: Republican candidate who died of COVID-19 declared winner of district election
US

US elections: Republican candidate who died of COVID-19 declared winner of district election

- David Andahl died of COVID-19 at the end of October 2020

- North Dakota election officials said it was too late to remove his name from the ballot paper

- He was declared the winner of North Dakota district on Tuesday, November 3, night, after scooping about 35% of the total votes that were cast

A Republican candidate who died of COVID-19 in October has won a state legislature seat posthumously.

US elections: Americans vote in Republican candidate who died of COVID-19
US elections: Americans vote in Republican candidate who died of COVID-19
Source: UGC

The late David Andahl was declared the winner of North Dakota district on Tuesday, November 3, night, after scooping about 35% of the votes that were cast.

Andahl died due to complications from COVID-19. He had been sick and hospitalised with the disease for several weeks before passing on at the age of 55.

He was elected alongside Dave Nehring to represent the district which chooses two representatives.

The two won the Republicans endorsements and voters’ nominations to defeat one of North Dakota’s most powerful lawmakers, Rep. Jeff Delzer.

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Secretary of State Al Jaeger told New York Times the Republican Party, which nominated Andahl for the seat, would get to fill the vacancy.

He, however, acknowledged the situation was rare, noting he had never witnessed it for the last 27 years he has been in politics.

"From what I gather, we really haven’t had a situation like this before,” said Jaegar.

Kenyan scenario

In Kenya, the late Masinde Muliro is one such a leader who was elected the MP for Mathare constituency posthumously.

Masinde won the seat during Kenya's first multiparty general election in 1992 but his victory was nullified by the court, forcing him to return to the ballot.

Two days to the by-election day, Masinde, who was vying on a FORD Kenya ticket, was involved in a grisly road accident. He succumbed to the injuries on the eve of the election day.

Tight contest

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Republicans and Democrats have locked horns for top elective seats in America starting from the president to positions of the state legislatures.

YEN.com.gh has gathered Republican Party under its flagbearer Donald Trump, incumbent president, has so far won 47 senate seats against Democrats 46.

In the House of Representatives, Democratic Party is slightly ahead with 180 against Republican's 171.

At the top, Trump and Biden are still entangled in a neck-to-neck race with the latter leading with a slight margin so far.

As reported by, Trump has threatened to move to the Supreme court to stop the counting on grounds that his opponents are rigging elections.

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Ghanaians weigh in on the chances of the candidates on the ballot paper | #Yencomgh

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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