The seven-candidate Democratic Athens County Commissioner race ended in a tie after the provisional and absentee votes were counted Thursday, but a recount this Saturday could change the outcome.
Charlie Adkins of Albany and Jim Pancake of Nelsonville each earned 2,854 of the 12,748 votes cast in the March 4 Democratic commissioner race.
County Prosecutor C. David Warren flipped a coin and named Pancake the winner last week, because the Ohio Revised Code required that a winner be named the day of the official count. In case of a tie, the winner must be decided by lot, which can include flipping a coin or drawing straws.
Warren, who acted as a representative for the Athens County Board of Elections, said he attempted to contact both candidates before the coin toss. Warren reached Pancake, who requested heads but declined to watch the coin toss. Warren spoke to Charlie's father, Tommy Adkins, but was not able to reach the candidate himself.
However, Charlie said he did not receive a phone call and only heard about the tie vote and the coin toss from his father.
I want to figure out who tried to call me and what number they called me at
he said. I had my cell phone on and was a mile from the city of Athens. The way [other news outlets] talk I decided not to come in. That is not accurate.That outcome may not stand, though, as Ohio law also requires that county boards of elections recount the votes in the case of a tie.
Board of elections employees will begin by hand-counting 3 percent of the vote, 577 ballots at 9 a.m. Saturday. Those votes will also be run through the high-speed tabulator. If the vote counts match, the rest of the ballots will be counted with the county's high-speed reader.
If the vote is still tied after the recount, Pancake will be named the winner because of his heads coin toss choice. Although Pancake said he expected to garner a more decisive win with students' provisional ballots, he feels the close Democratic primary race will not hurt his chances against Republican Larry Payne in the general election.
What sets me apart is that I've been working for this county politically since 1992 Pancake said. I've been involved in a lot of the decisions at the county level. I will do a good job
work hard and be accessible.
In her 16 years at the Athens County Board of Elections, Director Debbie Quivey said she does not recall a tie vote in a countywide election.
The seven Democratic candidates and a representative for each are permitted to be present at the recount.
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