Sec. 17. (a) If proof is given to the absentee ballot counters that an absentee voter marked and forwarded an absentee ballot but died before election day, the ballot of the deceased voter shall be rejected under section 13 of this chapter and retained with the other rejected ballots under section 14 of this chapter.
(b) The casting of an absentee ballot by a deceased voter does not invalidate an election.