SEATTLE — An incumbent Democratic state representative in Washington was headed for a decisive re-election victory on Wednesday even though he died last week, results indicate. 
 
 Roger Freeman, a first-term representative from Federal Way, a city between Seattle and Tacoma, had about 53 percent of the vote, compared to about 47 percent for his Republican challenger, Jack Dovey. Freeman, 48, died last week after a battle with cancer. His death came after ballots were mailed to Washington voters, where all voting is done by mail. 
 
 "This is extremely rare," said Brian Zylstra, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office. "But there are protocols in place." Once all ballots are finalized in coming weeks, if Freeman wins the vote, Democrats still will hold on to his seat in the state House of Representatives, Zylstra said. 
 
 Democrats in Freeman's district, which spans two counties, will select three names for a temporary replacement and the King and Pierce County councils will vote to appoint one of those candidates to the seat for one year, according to state election rules. The seat would be on the ballot in 2015 to fill out the remainder of the two-year term, the rules say. 
 
 Should the Republican candidate win, he will take the seat in Olympia at the start of the next legislative session. 
 
 Roger Freeman a Democratic state representative in Washington, is seen in an undated photo from the U.S. House of Representatives. HANDOUT / Reuters 
 
 IN-DEPTH 
 
 — Reuters ||||| November 4, 2014 at 11:00 PM 
 
 Roger Freeman, a Democratic state representative from Federal Way, appeared headed for victory Tuesday despite dying six days ago. 
 
 Tuesday’s ballot results put Freeman, a first-term incumbent for the 30th legislative district that spans parts of King and Pierce Counties, ahead by six percentage points over his Republican challenger, Jack Dovey. 
 
 Freeman’s apparent victory leaves a decision for filling the vacant House seat to the King and Pierce County Councils, which must jointly appoint a Democrat to replace Freeman for one year. Freeman’s replacement will be chosen from three nominees put forward by Democratic Party officials in the 30th District. A special election would be set next year for voters to decide on a candidate to fill out the final year of the two-year House term. 
 
 Freeman, 48, a public defender and former Federal Way City Council member, died Wednesday morning after a long battle with colon cancer. He is survived by a wife and two children. ||||| In August, the Federal Way Mirror in Washington State said of their close 30th District state house election, "this race may be the most interesting to watch. Two good, smart candidates who know the issues and will run a very clean race." 
 
 It was a race to watch, but not for the reason they predicted. 
 
 The incumbent Democratic state Rep. Roger Freeman — one of two black representatives in the state legislature — died at the end of October at the age of 48. Around 15 percent of the district's voters had already mailed in their ballots, and at the end of Election night he had a six-point-lead over his Republican opponent, Jack Dovey. 
 
 The death was so recent that most voters were simply unaware that it had happened, and voted for the incumbent or on a party line. Local news station KVAL spoke to one such person on Tuesday night. 
 
 Voter Steven Hinz cast a ballot for Freeman because he didn't know the candidate had died. "I did not know that," he said. "When did he pass away?" 
 
 Since Freeman would not be able to effectively serve his terms, the two counties that make up the 30th district will select a temporary legislator from three possibilities offered by local Democrats. A special election would then be held next year. 
 
 Voters elect people whose hearts no longer thump to the beat of democracy more than you'd think. Last year, Oregon voters elected a man to the Aberdeen City Council five months after he died. Missouri elected a dead man who was running unopposed to serve as county commissioner in 2010. Three weeks before the 2000 election, Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan died in a plane crash. When he won a Senate race against John Ashcroft, his widow was appointed to take his place. 
 
 Hackensack High School Principal Joseph DeFalco died after the polls had opened in 2005, and was elected to the city council for a four-year term he could not complete, or even start. In 1998, a dead woman, Jacquelyn Morrow Lewis Ledgerwood, made it to a run-off in the Oklahoma Senate's Democratic primary. 
 
 The New York Times reported at the time, ||||| UPDATE: Roger Freeman, who died last week, is leading his race for a seat in the state House of Representatives. Early results show Freeman is taking 53 percent of the vote. 
 
 FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- There's an unusual twist in the race for state house in the 30th district of Federal Way. The democratic incumbent died from cancer last week, but Rep. Roger Freeman's name is still on the ballot -- and he's still getting votes. 
 
 
 
 Freeman was battling to retain his seat in the state legislature. He was also battling colon cancer that spread to his liver and lungs. He lost that battle last Wednesday 
 
 
 
 "It's a day to remember Roger Freeman. It's a day to remember how he made us feel," said Freeman's legislative director, Martin Moore. 
 
 
 
 Jack Dovey is Freeman's Republican challenger. 
 
 
 
 "It's a tragic thing that happened," Dovey said. 
 
 
 
 Freeman's name is still on the ballot and is still getting support. Voter Steven Hinz cast a ballot for Freeman because he didn't know the candidate had died. 
 
 
 
 "I did not know that," he said. "When did he pass away?" 
 
 
 
 Even though word of Freeman's death spread throughout the community last week, obviously not everyone knows about it. 
 
 
 
 "I voted for Freeman,"said Robert Zielie, who also didn't realize Freeman was dead. 
 
 
 
 But Freeman's supporters still want folks to vote for him, because if he wins he'd be replaced by a democrat. The democratic precinct leaders would offer three potential replacements to the county councils of King and Pierce counties who would select one. If no agreement is reached, the governor gets to choose. 
 
 
 
 Dovey says he'd rather see Freeman waving signs with him. 
 
 
 
 "It's a lot easier running against the person than the party," he said. 
 
 
 
 So Freeman's campaign says vote for Roger even though he's no longer with us. 
 
 
 
 "I think that's something that he would personally want," Moore said. ||||| The Democrat was challenging Republican Greg Steube to replace U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney. 
 
 April Freeman, the Democratic candidate to replace U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney in District 17, died Sunday. 
 
 Her husband, David Freeman, posted the news on her Facebook page Monday afternoon by writing: “It's with great sadness that I feel I must inform all of you that my beloved wife April passed away suddenly last night. To all of her family and friends here on Facebook, my heart aches with you.” 
 
 In a brief phone interview Monday, he added, “It appears that she was having a heart attack. 
 
 “That’s all I know right now,” Freeman continued. “I’ll post more ... I have no further comment.” 
 
 April Freeman, 54, was making her third run for Congress, opposing the Republican nominee, Sarasota state Sen. Greg Steube, for the District 17 seat. 
 
 She lost to Rooney in 2016 and in 2014 lost the District 19 seat to Curt Clawson. 
 
 Freeman put her career as a TV and film producer on hold in pursuit of a congressional seat, relying on the income of her husband, David, a union pipefitter and HVAC specialist. 
 
 She is survived by two children and two grandchildren. 
 
 In a prepared statement, Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo expressed sadness over Freeman’s death. 
 
 “April put her heart and soul into her community — and was dedicated to making a better future for all Floridians,” Rizzo said. “Just last night she was in the office, making calls and working to get out the vote. 
 
 “Her work ethic and passion was an inspiration to all of us,” she added. “It is a tremendous loss to the Democratic Party and to all who knew her. 
 
 “Our hearts break for her family and loved ones, who are grieving her loss.” 
 
 Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner said: "The state party will work with local county parties that are affected to come up with a nominee. 
 
 “The ballot's already printed so essentially a vote for April Freeman will be for whoever the nominee ends up being," he added. 
 
 Steube tweeted Monday: “My thoughts & prayers are with April Freeman’s family in the wake of her tragic passing. I respect her service to our community and admire her commitment to the causes she cared about. Out of respect to her memory, next week’s campaign events will be canceled.” 
 
 
 
 District 17 covers a sprawling area touching nine counties, including portions of Sarasota and Charlotte. 
 
 Freeman, who grew up in Michigan, in a Republican household, had a longtime interest in party politics. 
 
 She volunteered at 16 for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign in 1980. 
 
 In 2012, she worked as a fellow on the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama. 
 
 Freeman had a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Michigan. 
 
 In 2013, she graduated from both the EMILY’s List Political Opportunity Program and the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, which is administered by the Yale Law School. 
 
 Political editor Zac Anderson contributed to this story.
– Election results are still trickling in in Washington state (it's a vote-by-mail-only state, KOMO News reports), but it looks like voters are giving Democratic Rep. Roger Freeman of Federal Way a second term with about 53% of the vote, NBC News notes. There's just one problem: The 48-year-old Freeman died last week after a long battle with colon cancer, the Seattle Times reports. Many voters either didn't know Freeman had died or had already sent in their ballots, the Washington Post reports. "I did not know that. When did he pass away?" one voter told KVAL. "This is extremely rare," a spokesman for Washington's secretary of state tells NBC. "But there are protocols in place." Those protocols would be much simpler if voters had simply elected the very much alive Republican candidate, Jack Dovey. However, since Freeman is apparently the victor, Democrats in the district will pick three names to serve as his temporary replacement; the county councils will then vote one of those candidates in to serve for one year, with a special election next year to pick someone for the final year of the two-year term, NBC notes. Dovey, now known as the challenger beat by a deceased candidate, simply tells KVAL, "It's a tragic thing that happened." (This county candidate dropped out of the race after his dead friend supposedly voted for him.)