By The Associated Press
SEATTLE —
Two candidates in separate election races in Washington state are winning . . . despite being dead.
In the Seattle suburb of Des Moines, John Rosentangle won 71 percent of the vote Tuesday over write-in candidates in the King County Water District 54.
The 63-year-old died in August of an illness.
On the Washington coast in Aberdeen, John Erak is leading Alan Richrod with 53 percent of the vote in a city council race.
The 81-year-old Erak was a former state representative who died in June shortly after announcing he was running to retain his seat on the city council.
His current lead is only 12 votes, and the results aren’t final.
Both men died after the filing period closed and their names could not be removed from ballots.
Erak’s challenger, Alan Richrod, may be appointed to the council seat, even if he does not receive a majority of votes in the final count.
