If you're wondering how this could happen, Pace's name could not be removed from the ballot as the deadline (no pun intended) has already occurred. So, blame bureaucracy and a lack of common sense. Then, rather than notify voters the media and election officials were somewhat derelict in their duties so many voters were unaware of her passing.

Source: Washington Examiner

A candidate who reportedly passed away after the deadline to remove names from the ballot was winning the Republican primary in Indiana’s 7th District, which includes the majority of Indianapolis.

Jennifer Pace was declared the winner by the Indianapolis Star with over 99% of precincts reporting. She had received 31.2% of the vote as of early Wednesday morning, besting retired Army Lt. Catherine Ping who had 29.9% of the vote, retired postal worker Phillip Davis came in at 25.7%, and former Evansville mayor candidate Gabe Whitley, who received 13.1% support.

Ping has ran for the 7th District seat four times in the past including in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The Associated Press has yet to declare a winner at the time this article was published.

Pace, 59, died suddenly in early March according to reporting from the IndyStar and WIBC Indianapolis and had previously run for the nomination in 2022, earning 12% of the vote.

Now, it would be easy here to blame apathetic Republican voters in the heavily Democratic district but a social media user in IN-07 laid the blame elsewhere.

The news of Pace’s death did not appear to be widely reported. In response to a social media post, a user who lives in the district said many people did not know Pace had passed away.

“No one knew she was dead. Last week I researched the candidates online. I read their websites and questionnaire responses. I googled them. No mention of her death. No obituaries,” the person wrote. “Given her responses I strongly considered voting for her. Local media failed again.”

No one knew she was dead. Last week I researched the candidates online. I read their websites and questionnaire responses. I googled them. No mention of her death. No obituaries. Given her responses I strongly considered voting for her. Local media failed again.

— TwoLegs (@Covenant60) May 8, 2024

The tweet below isn't entirely accurate, but it isn't wrong either.

And in other news, Indiana Republicans also gave 22% of their votes to someone who left the presidential race over two months ago.