Dead mayor in Oklahoma headed to runoff in general election: report

FILE: Charles Lamb, Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member for the city of Edmond, Okla., answers a question at a news conference in Oklahoma City. (AP)

A dead man received enough votes Tuesday to be on the ballot of an upcoming general election for the mayor of an Oklahoma city.

Mayor Charles Lamb, 72, of the town of Edmond, had just filed for his third term last December when he died unexpectedly. At the time, it was too late to remove his name from the ballot or to add anyone else, according to city spokesman Casey Moore.

Despite dying, Lamb finished second with former Mayor Dan O’Neil in Tuesday's primary, garnering more than a third of the vote, according to complete, but unofficial results from the three-person race.

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Lamb’s supporters said they voted for him to prevent O’Neil-- who is the incumbent mayor-- from serving another term. They said electing him posthumously would give city council the authority to pick his successor.

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O’Neil called the situation "awkard," but insisted he will reach out to Lamb’s supporters to assure them he would govern like Lamb. The two candidates will now advance to an April 2 runoff. Edmond has a population of about 90,000 and is roughly 15 miles north of Oklahoma City.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.