Brown, McKinney named winners of election stalemates

By: 
Nick Pedley

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    The Franklin County Board of Supervisors determined the fate of two election stalemates in Coulter and Hansell Monday during a special selection process in Hampton.
    Write-in candidate Mark Brown was named the winner of Coulter's mayor race after his name was selected by board Chairman Mike Nolte. Brown and incumbent Mayor Jim Warwick tied with 16 votes apiece on Nov. 3, which forced the supervisors to pick a winner by writing each candidate’s name on a piece of paper and drawing one from a bowl.
    The supervisors also determined the winner of a stalemate in Hansell. Declared candidate Ben McKinney earned a spot on the city council when his name was picked over write-in contender Jess Harlan. Both men received nine votes last week.
    The name draw is standard protocol for municipal election stalemates and is dictated by Iowa Code. The deadlock marked the second-straight election Hansell had a tie for a city council seat. In 2013, Deloris Cunningham and Jason Harper drew a stalemate.
    Since Brown was elected by write-in votes, he has the option to reject the victory. However, he confirmed Monday that he will accept the mayor’s position to become Coulter’s first new executive in more than a decade. Warwick was elected in 1999 and has held the position for the past 15 years. He also served as mayor for two terms in the early 1990s.
    Brown and McKinney’s terms will be begin in January 2016.
    The names were drawn during Monday’s vote canvass held at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center. All other results of the Nov. 3 city elections remained the same.

Hampton Chronicle

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