Wednesday, April 8, 2009
2:53 PM
Winner pulled out of a hat
There was only one contested race in the Outagamie County Town of Liberty Tuesday, and that contest showed the power of one vote.
When the ballots were counted in the at-large board supervisor race in this rural township near New London, incumbent William Jurack and challenger Scott Retzlaff were tied -- 48 votes each.
Town officials called the county clerk's office to find out what to do next. According to the town's chief election inspector Helen Thern, they were told they winner could be determined through drawing lots.
The candidates agreed that the winner would be determined by drawing the name out of a hat.
"It doesn't seem fair, but that's the way it is, I guess," said Thern, who said that a tie had happened once before in Liberty, in a town chairman election.
Thern noted the low turnout was and some of the candidates neighbors and friends failed to cast their ballots.
"People think that one vote doesn't matter, but I guess this shows it does," Thern said.
Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy said there were six other tie votes around the state yesterday.
-- By Greg Bump
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