REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEATLE - An incumbent Democratic state representative in Washington was headed for a decisive re-election victory on Wednesday even though he died last week, results indicate.

Roger Freeman (48 years), a first-term representative from Federal Way, a city between Seattle and Tacoma, had 53 percent of the vote, compared to 46.9 percent for his Republican challenger, Jack Dovey.

Freeman died last week after a battle with cancer. His death came after ballots were mailed to Washington voters, where all voting is done by mail.

"This is extremely rare," said Brian Zylstra, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office. "But there are protocols in place."