US election 2020: Republican David Andahl elected in North Dakota despite dying of COVID-19 in October

A Republican candidate for the House in North Dakota who died last month appears to have been elected to the state legislature in Tuesday's US election.

David Andahl died on October 5, aged 55, after being sick with coronavirus for several days.

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Mr Andahl and his running mate Dave Nehring were leading their Democratic rivals for two seats in District 8 on 35 per cent and 40 per cent respectively as of Wednesday morning local time (12.30am Thursday AEDT), according to North Dakota Election Officals.

At the time Mr Andahl's death, Secretary of State Al Jaeger said it was too late to remove him from the ballot. Early voting had begun up to two weeks before his death.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's opinion said in October that if Mr Andahl was elected to the post, the office would be deemed vacant. Under state law, a committee representing the party of the previous office-holder would fill the opening by appointment.

Mr Andahl's mother last month told the Bismarck Tribune that her son, a cattle farmer and race car driver, had been "hoping that he could get into the Legislature and be of some help".

"He was looking forward to it. He was looking forward to being part of that," she said.

"He had a lot of feelings for his county and his country and wanting to make things better, and his heart was in farming."

– Reported with Associated Press