ASHLAND — Fate favored Mifflin’s incumbent on Monday.
The village of Mifflin’s mayor candidate Vickie Shultz won another term in office Monday after a coin toss.
The coin toss became necessary when one additional provisional ballot came back for write-in candidate Fred Craig, tying the unofficial results at 25-25.
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Ashland County Board of Elections member Andrew Keller flipped a gold coin from his personal collection on Monday to determine the winner. George Washington represented the “heads” side; the Statue of Liberty, “tails.”
Shultz, the only candidate present during Monday’s Ashland County Board of Elections meeting, chose heads.
“It’s heads,” Keller said after the flipping the coin through the air, catching it and placing it on the back of his palm.
Shultz won the toss, but the board of elections — by state law — must still perform a recount. The recount is scheduled to happen at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 at the board of elections office in Ashland.
The board will then audit the election on Dec. 11.
For now, Shultz is soaking in the victory.
“I feel very blessed, honored and humbled,” she said, moments after winning. Barring any changes from the recount next week, she will begin her third term in January.
Craig will finish out the remainder of his term on council.
Shultz said she hopes the community continues to come together, like they are right now as the village decorates for the holidays.
Keller, before tossing the coin, said casting lots is not the way he or the board prefers determining the results of an election.
He said the procedure becomes necessary, by law, when there is a tie.
“But it also underscores the importance of every single vote and it’s a reminder to all of us to the importance of voting. Of course, we’re honored to resolve this tie here today and it’s unusual but necessary in the rare case of a tie,” he said.
Keller said ties have happened in Ashland County before, but they are rare.