One-and-a-half weeks before voters head to the polls in North Rhine-Westphalia's municipal elections in Germany on Sept. 14, state officials have confirmed that 16 candidates have died during the campaign.
The deaths span across multiple parties, including seven from Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The official said that candidates unfortunately pass away in every election cycle, and the current tally should not be considered extraordinary.
Despite the reassurances from officials, the deaths have triggered speculation on the internet, particularly concerning the AfD, which accounted for nearly half of the fatalities.
In May, Germany's domestic intelligence agency classified the AfD as "right-wing extremist" after a lengthy review, though the label is on hold pending a court appeal.
Martin Vincentz, who leads the AfD chapter in North Rhine-Westphalia, told reporters there was no evidence of unnatural deaths among the party's candidates, the DPA reported.
He said no foul play had been uncovered, but argued that the public speculation reflects how the party is treated by German authorities.
In addition to the seven AfD candidates, the fatalities include one candidate each from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Social Democratic Action (SDA), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), the Greens, the Animal Protection Party, the Independent Voter Association (UWG), Free Voters, the Party Referendum, and one local voters' group.
Local authorities are not legally obliged to report such cases to the state election commissioner, meaning the list is not necessarily complete.
Nonetheless, the commissioner's office receives reports from municipalities and reviews public records to track such incidents.
Police have ruled out unnatural causes of death in at least four cases.
In the 2020 municipal elections, more than 20,000 seats were contested in North Rhine-Westphalia.
When a nominee dies, ballots may need to be reprinted, or special elections may be organized.
In some cases, replacements can even be put forward on election day itself.