Democrats in northeastern Indiana's LaGrange County are studying their options after their candidate for coroner died three weeks before Election Day.
Kpcnews.com reports that 67-year-old Robert Reichard died Tuesday while on a visit to the Philippines. He was running against independent Jeff Helmuth in the Nov. 6 election.
County Democratic Chairman Mark Eagleson says he's in contact with Indiana election law officials on the options available to the party if a candidate dies within 30 days of Election Day. He says if Reichard's name remains on the ballot, any votes cast for him for him will be disregarded.
He says Democrats can appoint a replacement candidate, but that would require the county to reprint ballots at a cost of as much as $20,000.
