Ward 2 Election Ends In Tie

Tuesday’s Ward 2 election between Mary Heywood and Clifford Crawford ended in a tie.

Both candidates received 21 votes in their bid to fill the two-year seat.

In a letter from Crawford County Clerk John Martin to the city of Bourbon on Thursday, there are three options.

Martin said either Heywood or Crawford could concede, settle the race by a “draw” contest or have a run-off election.

As of Friday, neither candidate had conceded.

Martin said the “draw” may be any contest that grants each candidate an equal chance of winning or losing.

It can a coin flip, drawing cards from a deck, blind draw from a bag, drawing short straws “or any other contest that both tied candidates agree upon.”

Martin said that if the candidates mutually agree to a contest, city attorney Robert Davis should draw up the rules and each candidate must agree.

Failing both those other options, a run-off election can be held, but must be paid for by the city.

“If a ‘run-off’ election becomes necessary, my office must be informed at once so that the process may begin as soon as possible,” Martin wrote. “I will schedule the ‘run-off’ election as soon as I can, but it will necessarily take weeks to accomplish due to having to follow all the steps required for any other election.”

A tie happened in the city of Cuba last summer.

In the June 2 election, incumbent Warren Graddy and challenger Harold Halbert each received 64 votes.

Neither candidate agreed to concede or hold a draw, so a run-off election was held in July.

When voters went back to the polls on July 7, Graddy edged out Halbert 57-53.