Overview
- Bruce Giudici fell while door‑knocking on a steep driveway and died the next day at San Joaquin General Hospital, his campaign said.
- Giudici's name will stay on the Nov. 3 runoff ballot because he died after the state’s Aug. 27 deadline to remove deceased candidates.
- The Giudici campaign said it will continue to seek votes and asked supporters to "honor his wishes" by voting for him, and volunteers have discussed proposing potential appointees to the governor if a vacancy occurs.
- Under state law and county guidance, votes cast for a candidate who dies after the deadline are counted and a deceased winner is treated as elected with the resulting vacancy filled by the governor at the start of the term.
- Giudici led the June primary with 1,061 votes against Clyde Clapp's 1,023, making the November runoff tightly contested and leaving local residents facing uncertainty over representation, budget oversight, wildfire preparedness, public safety, and road projects depending on who ultimately holds the seat.