Ballots cast for mayor in the small community of Peachland, B.C., will be counted again by hand on Monday to verify a tie, after a provincial court judge gave the green light to a judicial recount.
Incumbent Mayor Cindy Fortin and challenger Harry Gough are tied with 804 votes each following last week’s election.
READ MORE: B.C. town’s mayoral race a tie, come down to luck of the draw
Every vote counts: 10 tightest races in B.C.’s municipal elections
Gough was initially declared the winner by just one vote over Fortin but an election official had reported that one ballot was not properly fed when a voting machine jammed.
If the tie is confirmed, the district’s chief election officer Polly Palmer says the winner must be determined by a provincial court judge drawing lots.
The process is similar to drawing a name from a hat.
The judicial recount was approved Friday and will take place at the Peachland Community Centre.
The Canadian Press
