In a small community in southern Indiana on Tuesday, a candidate for town council passed away unexpectedly while voters were still casting their ballots, according to the New York Post.

David “Red” Worrall, 59, had been greeting voters near a polling location in Clarksville when he suddenly suffered an unspecified health emergency and collapsed, and was later pronounced dead after being rushed to a hospital.

He had been an At-Large candidate for a pair of open seats on the town council and ultimately finished that race in third place after his death on Tuesday.

Collapsed while greeting voters near polling station

Local media outlet WDRB reported that Worrall was a lifelong resident of Clarksville who owned and operated an automotive repair shop and who had previously served on the town's council.

The Town of Clarksville released a statement Tuesday evening about the tragic Election Day death and said, "It is with heavy hearts that we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of David 'Red' Worrall, who passed away earlier this afternoon."

"A former member of the Clarksville Town Council and current At-Large candidate, David's dedication to our community was truly commendable," the statement continued. "We will never forget his passion for public service and his unwavering desire to create positive change in our Town."

"David's memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew him and the community he strived to serve," the town council added.

Town of Clarksville Statement on the passing of former District 3 Town Councilman David “Red” Worrall: pic.twitter.com/sYeg6j7P3c

— Town of Clarksville (@TownClarksville) November 8, 2023

Former council member had previously dealt with health issues

People magazine reported that Worrall had previously served on the Clarksville Town Council but had stepped down from that position in order to deal with personal health issues.

However, Worrall had said that he had been "approached by several groups of people" who urged him to run for office again in the small town just north of Indiana's border with Kentucky and he had determined that he was "up to the task of making another run."

That decision to run made him one of five at-large candidates who sought to fill two open seats on the council -- a race he ultimately finished posthumously in third place once all of the ballots had been counted after his death.

Winning candidates offer condolences

The two candidates who defeated Worrall for the town council seats -- incumbent Republican Council Member Jennifer Voignier and Democrat Council Member-elect Bob McEwen -- both issued statements of condolences for their late opponent.

"Please say a prayer for his mom, brother and sister, family and all his close friends," Voignier wrote in a message on Facebook. "He was a close and very dear friend who I greatly miss!!! RIP Red!!"

"Yesterday is still a blur in my mind. While working at the poll with family and friends of both parties we were reminded how fragile life can be," McEwan said in a Facebook post. "Our community will not forget the good things Red epitomized about our community. His love of family, love of friends, and a love and pride of the town we all call home."