An election for Ward 2 alderman of Holts Summit has resulted in a tie - 35 votes to 35 - according to unofficial results from the Callaway County clerk's office.
Results of the race between candidates Chris Redel and Lisa Buhr still need to be certified, Callaway County Clerk Ronda Miller said.
Mike Harvey won the other alderman race for Holts Summit, in Ward 1, with 47 votes.
If the Ward 2 race is officially determined to be a tie, the candidates and Holts Summit's Board of Aldermen will need to determine what to do next.
"They can do, like, high card/low card, short straw, anything that they decide on such as that," Miller said. "Or, if they want to put back toward a vote, it would have to be, of course, paid for by the city. So it's pretty much up to Holts Summit."
Miller said the cost for a standalone election could run up to $1,200. Generally, cities find another option rather than paying for an additional election.
Buhr and Redel said they plan to work with Holts Summit to determine a solution, wanting to avoid making the city pay for another election. Relying on a game of chance is not optimal, Buhr added, but the cost of another election is not something Holts Summit should take on.
"I wouldn't condone or suggest the city paying any money for an additional election of any kind," Redel said.
"We are going to deal with the hand that we've been dealt and go from there," Buhr said separately. "We're going to work with the county clerk's office and the city of Holts Summit to see what steps to take next."
Harvey, who won the Ward 1 seat over incumbent Larry Fedorchalk, 28 votes, and Archie McDaniel, 24 votes, said he's looking forward to working in the role.
"(The) city is moving in a good direction, and I'm glad I can be a part of some of that," Harvey said.