MISSOULA — A recount process for the Missoula City Council Ward 6 race performed on Wednesday shows a tied vote between candidates Sandra Vasecka and Sean Patrick McCoy.
A news release notes that Per MCA 13-16-507, when a tied vote happens in a municipal election, the governing body — in this case, the Missoula City Council — will appoint the candidate to fill the vacancy.
The recount performed on Wednesday shows the vote tally is tied at 1,476. Prior the the recount, McCoy had 1,478 votes and Vasecka had received 1,473 votes.
“It could be the difference of the ovals being marked. The recount board makes the final determination,” Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradly Seaman told the Missoula Current. “But that's exactly what this process is for, to make sure that as we go through here and it's a close race, the results that are on the paper ballots match the results in the system.”
Asked why the City Council gets to make the choice over a second election in Ward 6, Seaman told the Missoula Current it's state law and not up to local officials.
“I do know tie votes have happened across the state before,” said Seaman. “This will roll over to the City Council, and they will make an appointment from one of the candidates. It's just following the process outlined in Montana Code Annotated. It's the law.”
