Should a dead person's vote count? A dumb question. Dead people have been electing politicians to office since the US broke away from England. Dead people voting is as American as double-parking and cheating on taxes. Dead people in Jim Wells and Duval counties in Texas put Lyndon B. Johnson in office. Dead people in Cook country Illinois kept the democrats in control in Chicago and Springfield for many, many years. The republicans have the super rich class voters. The democrats have the tombstone class voters. An American balance of power.

This case is not about people impersonating dead people and casting votes for them -- this issue is about an actual voter casting a vote, but dying before that vote is counted.

I'm not sure why your vote should be nullified because you are dead (as long as cast it while you were alive).

Um...because whatever issues you were voting for won't affect you anymore? I don't think dead people will be marching for representation anytime soon...

I have to agree that an absentee ballot cast by a living person should count even if that person dies before election day. Any votes cast by deceased voters, absentee or in person, should not count. Man, this is getting morbid.

If our votes counted, the government would not allow us to vote.

Well by publishing this tasteless article you certainly made sure hers did'nt. Why did you feel the need to belittle the one of the last acts of a dying old women. This issue could have been raised without singling out a specific person and thereby destroying pehaps one of the last proud and fond memories of that family.

This kind of journalism is disgusting, which I am sad to say has become all too frequent on Slate. You should be ashamed and you should publically appologize to the family

Relax nbt. This is "explainer". It answers the questions that come up naturally in the course of the news, and generally does a fine job of it. I'm not really sure where you're coming from with all the animosity, or why you find this "belittling" or "disgusting". Facts are facts, the author was just relaying them.

I guess there will need to be a federal law, since the states cannot even get this straight. Dead people cannot vote. If a voter cast a ballot, while alive and breathing, in person at a polling station, then it counts. As one blog said, "if he voted in person, then died hours later, is his vote valid?" Yes, as it was in person, at a polling station, to prove his identity. Absentee ballot votes of a deceased should be excluded. There is no way to prove or verify it was filled out by the deceased. The deceased is dead. A valid point--the daughter could have completed it.

Is anyone surprised Hillary would bring this up? No, of course a dead person's vote should not count.

L&G

nbt: I agree with you-- this is disgusting journalism.

Sadly, during this campaign, I have realized that people are not very nice deep inside. It seems so many are willing to sacrifice basic human dignity to assult--with impunity--perfectly innocent people simply because of a conflict in political choices.

In the Democratic party, if you are not swooning over obama then you have to leave America or be killed it seems. Any acknowledgment of Hillary's accomplishments gets you the most vicious tongue-lashing... like when bush ran in 2004 and no one could be for Kerry without a gang of minions attacking your patriotism, your mother, your intellect, or your sexuality. Amazing. I never thought I'd see the day when the Democratic party behaved so badly like the Republicans.

Even the Republicans wouldn't have violated this woman in such a way... there is honor for family values still... despite the divisive, destructive tactics of obama nd his crew.

Whole Lee Key Rap!!! Of COURSE it should count!!!

An absentee ballot is issued to an ACTIVE registered voter to use in a current election, to register their "vote" in the event the voter is unable or prevented from voting on Election Day . . . . I think DYING qualified as being "prevented or unable" and the ballot was "cast" by a living registered legal voter within the legal prescribed time and method, in DIRECT anticipation of not being able to vote on election day . . . case CLOSED.

Of course if they mark a ballot NEXT election, the legal question will have to be resolved whether a corpse can exercise the right to vote, does death automatically drop you from the roll, is a corpse mentally competent to vote, DID they actually mark the ballot and does interment change the legal address of voter residence, and how do you deal with ashes in TWO voting districts?. . . now THAT would be the case to argue!!!!! CORSPE RIGHTS!!!!!!