Overview
- Bruce Giudici died on Aug. 31 after a fall while campaigning and his campaign decided to continue asking voters to "honour his bid."
- As of the latest unofficial tally reported Nov. 12, Giudici holds 1,982 votes (56.99%) to Clyde Clapp’s 1,496 (43.01%), a 497-vote lead, but the count is not final.
- County officials say 322 ballots still need processing and 340 require signature corrections, and it is unclear how many of those ballots are for District 5 and could change the outcome.
- Under California law, votes for a candidate who dies after the ballot deadline can be counted and a certified posthumous winner creates a vacancy the governor must fill by appointment until a successor is elected.
- The likely practical result is an appointed interim supervisor who could serve more than a year until a possible special election in March 2028, delaying direct voter choice and shaping who holds local power in the near term.