Missing Candidate's Name Still on Ballot: Election Dilemma in Long Beach

Mon Oct 13 2025 20:12:43 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A political candidate went missing after a swimming accident, leaving local voters with a unique electoral choice: vote for the missing candidate or his living opponent.

Petros Krommidas, a 29-year-old political candidate presumed missing after a spring swimming incident, will remain on the November ballot per a recent court ruling. As election day nears, local Democrats are urging residents to vote in his honor, while the Republicans argue for clarity in candidate selection. This peculiar circumstance raises questions about ethics, electoral fairness, and the emotional toll on Krommidas's family.

LONG BEACH, N.Y. (AP) — Petros Krommidas, a political candidate in New York City suburbs, has been missing since he went for a spring swim in the Atlantic Ocean. The 29-year-old, who had been preparing for a triathlon, left his car, phone, and belongings on the beach, with local authorities still considering him a missing person.

As Election Day approaches, a court ruling keeps Krommidas's name on the ballot for the Nassau County Legislature. Although local Democrats are navigating the political waters to support Krommidas posthumously, Republican voters successfully challenged efforts to replace him on the ballot, arguing he can't be declared deceased until he’s been missing for three years.

A judge ruled that Krommidas is still a missing person, allowing him to remain a candidate. The situation presents a unique dilemma for voters who must decide between reelecting the incumbent Republican or casting votes for a candidate believed to be lost at sea. James Hodge, a local Democratic activist, encourages voters to honor Krommidas's legacy in the election.

Similar historical instances exist where candidates, posthumously or presumed dead, have secured election victories. Most notably, U.S. Rep. Nicholas Begich won reelection after disappearing in a plane crash prior to his election.

The family and friends of Krommidas have continued to support his candidacy. His mother expressed via social media that Krommidas cared deeply for his community, urging people to vote in his honor. Voters around Long Beach have mixed feelings; while some support honoring his name, others express frustration over the complexities of casting a vote for someone missing.

As the community grapples with this unprecedented situation, the emotional weight continues to affect Krommidas’s family, who wish for a resolution and peace, while political rivalries engage on a platform tinged with tragedy.