San Diego suburb faces $2 million special election after electing dead candidate

The City of Chula Vista, a populous suburb of San Diego, Calif., will hold a special election for the post of civil attorney after constituents elected a candidate on Nov. 8 who had been dead for two months prior.

Democratic candidate Simon Silva died in September, but still defeated challenger Dan Smith by half of a percentage point, according to the Epoch Times. Smith contends that the city's leaders and the Democratic Party failed to publicize Silva's death and did not warn voters about the potential costs of a special election.

A spokesperson for the city told the outlet that officials had announced Silva's death on Sept. 13 during a council meeting.

The San Diego Registrar of Voters has estimated the special election will cost between $1.5 and $2 million.

"The Democrat party has deceived and let down its members," Smith told the outlet. "The party omitted any information that the special election would cost 1.5 to 2 million dollars, money which the City of Chula Vista can ill afford to spend unnecessarily."

Smith further contends Silva's campaign site and Facebook page did not acknowledge his death until after the election and that his supporters continued to distribute mailers and door hangers until the end of the race.

Smith plans to run in the special election.