A coin toss decided the winner of the March 4 Democratic county commissioner race after votes were recounted Saturday.
The winner, Jim Pancake, was tied with Charlie Adkins after provisional and absentee ballots were counted March 27. Saturday's recount also resulted in a tie, with the two candidates each earning 2,853 of the 12,748 votes cast in the democratic commissioner race.
Nelsonville's Pancake won the candidacy over Albany's Adkins based on a heads choice in a coin toss performed after the March 27 tie. Ohio Revised Code requires that a winner be determined by lot the same day as the official count. The winner could've been named by drawing straws, picking names out of a hat, flipping a coin or similar methods.
Athens County Board of Elections Director Debbie Quivey said she does not recall a countywide election ever ending in a tie during her 16 years at the board of elections.
Pancake, who will face Republican Larry Payne in the general election, said the publicity from this race will help him in November. Campaigning daily in the lead-up to the election will also help him win, Pancake said.
I won't be taking a break
he said. An old-time politician like me campaigns all the time. I go out and see people every day.
If he wins in November, Pancake said he would donate $10,000 of his commissioner salary to the creation of a county cat shelter, a promise he felt garnered him much of the student vote. Pancake also said he would make an effort to tape commissioner meetings and provide them to local cable stations.
Although Adkins was disappointed with the outcome, he said he thinks Pancake will try to do a good job. Adkins said he still feels he has unique skills to bring to the table, but he was unwilling to say whether he'd run for office again in the future.
I do think there's a lot of opportunities that we're not taking advantage of in the county he said. But I'm a big boy and I'll move on. I'll still continue working for the folks of Athens County and do everything I can to help.
While the candidates and a representative for each were permitted to be present at the count, only Adkins and a friend were present.
17
Archives
Caitlyn Zachry
200804077561midsize.jpeg
