A coin toss could determine who controls the Alaska House. After the latest count, Republican Bart LeBon and Democrat Kathryn Dodge are tied in the race for the state house seat that represents downtown Fairbanks. There are a couple of steps that have to happen before the race could come down to a coin toss. On Friday, election workers will audit the remaining absentee ballots. If the vote count is still tied after that, then there will be a recount. And if the recount doesn’t change the results, state law mandates that the winner is determined “by lot.” That could take the form of a coin toss or another method of determining a winner by chance.
LeBon said he isn’t surprised by the tie. “Well, if you look back on election night, at about 10:30 p.m., we were in a dead tie. Then I went up, then Kathryn Dodge went up, then I went up, and then we tied,” he said. “So it’s been back and forth for the last two weeks. I can’t say I’m shocked.”
Dodge had been trailing by five votes, so she’s happy. “I’m obviously pleased with the results and waiting along with many others for Friday, for the results of Friday’s final hand count,” she said.
Dodge said she wishes that a tie wouldn’t end in a coin toss. “It does seem a bit absurd,” she said. “I think probably a better response would be for Mr. LeBon and I to share the seat and have to discuss every vote we take and come to agreement – I think that would be pretty powerful.”
Full Article: Coin toss could determine control of Alaska House | Alaska Public Media.