(Reuters)
- Florida Democrat Earl K. Wood and Alabama Republican Charles Beasley
won their respective elections but they will not take office.
Both men died weeks before
the November 6 election yet managed to beat their very much alive
opponents by comfortable margins.
Wood died on October 15
from natural causes at age 96, during his campaign for a 12th term as
Orange County Tax Collector in Orlando, Florida.
Criticized for rarely
coming into the office while collecting a $150,000 salary and $90,000
pension, Wood initially announced he would step down, only to change his
mind when a longtime political foe made plans to seek the seat.
Wood's wide name
recognition after almost half a century in office scared off several
serious contenders. His name remained on the ballot and he took 56
percent of the votes to 44 percent for a Republican who promised to
eliminate the office altogether if elected.
Beasley, 77, died on
October 12, possibly due to an aneurysm, while trying to reclaim his old
seat on the Bibb County Commission in central Alabama.
Beasley's name also
remained on the ballot and he won about 52 percent of the vote. His
Democratic opponent, incumbent Commissioner Walter Sansing, took the
loss especially hard.
"It is a touchy situation.
When you are running against a dead man, you are limited as to what you
can say," Sansing told Reuters.
He blamed people voting straight Republican tickets for his loss.
In Orlando, Scott
Randolph, an outgoing Democratic state legislator and state party
activist, was selected by his party to receive votes cast for Wood and
he will assume the office. In Alabama, the governor will appoint a new
commissioner with input from local Republicans.
(Editing by Jane Sutton and Andrew Hay)
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