The candidates of a tied Holts Summit Board of Aldermen election have agreed to allow a coin toss to decide the victor, with the flip to be held during a special meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Lisa Buhr and Chris Redel garnered 35 votes apiece for a Holts Summit Ward 2 alderman seat during Tuesday's municipal elections. The Callaway County clerk's office certified the results Friday, following a recount.
The winner of the coin toss will be sworn into their seat alongside Mike Harvey, who was voted into a Ward 1 alderman seat.
Hanna Lechner, Holts Summit's interim city administrator, said she and Mayor Landon Oxley spoke to both candidates to negotiate the coin toss.
"Neither one of them wanted the city to pay for another election," Lechner said.
Ronda Miller, Callaway County clerk, said a standalone election could cost Holts Summit around $1,200.
Two absentee ballots in the Holts Summit precinct came after the deadline, Miller added, but cannot be counted.
According to Missouri statute 115.517, ties between municipal candidates can only be broken by an additional election or "by lot." The statute also allows a candidate to withdraw from such a drawing.