The coin toss was used after two candidates won the same number of votes in a mayoral election in a locality in the US.
Robert Burns became mayor of Monroe by a coin toss.
The Washington Post reported on November 21 that candidate Robert Burns had just won against his rival Bob Yanacsek and became mayor of Monroe (North Carolina, USA) through a coin toss.
Coincidentally, both candidates had won 970 votes. Under state law, in such a case, the winner would be decided by "a random selection."
An election official went back to his office and pulled out a coin to determine the winner. Back in the conference room at the county elections building, candidate Yanacsek chose the front side.
The coin was flipped, landed on the table, rolled several feet down the carpet and came to rest with the backs facing up. Mr. Burns raised his arms in victory as family and friends cheered. The 40-year-old candidate will be mayor of Monroe for the next two years.
"I felt like the coin rolled for a longer time than I had ever seen before," he told The Washington Post on November 21 about the event that happened four days earlier.
The coin toss was chosen as the random measure.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yanacsek watched his rival embrace supporters, before the two candidates shook hands. "We did not lose the election. We just lost the coin toss," the 53-year-old candidate said.
Union County Elections Director Kristin Jacumin said this was the first time she had seen a tie in her local election since taking office in 2015. She considered drawing names from a hat, or drawing long or short sticks, but the coin toss was the most transparent.
Previously, coin tosses were used to determine the winner of elections in Idaho and Kentucky. Election officials elsewhere have opted to roll dice or draw lots to choose the winner.
(According to Thanh Nien, November 21)
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