A mayoral race in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, is poised to be decided by a coin toss after unofficial results revealed a dead heat between the two candidates. Robert Nelson and Halyn Roth each received 1,401 votes, with 13 write-in votes also cast across the city's three precincts.
The Spring Lake Park City Council will officially present the election results at a public meeting on November 9. City Administrator Daniel Buchholtz explained to CBS that if the tie remains, state law dictates the winner will be determined by drawing a name from a bag. "It's a process that's been outlined in state law for a long time and it's a process that I believe is fair," Buchholtz stated.
Halyn Roth expressed reservations about the method, telling CBS, "I don't love it. I've heard from a lot of people who think that this is kind of a silly rule, that we wish we could do a revote or something else." Minnesota Statute 205.185 outlines that in the event of a tie vote, the canvassing board shall determine the result by lot.
This is not the first time a Minnesota election has faced such a close outcome. In 2018, a Maplewood City Council race ended with a tie, but the official canvass later revealed a slight lead for the incumbent, negating the need for a coin toss. Meanwhile, the Spring Lake Park City Council race is also close, with only 17 votes separating the second and third-place candidates. This narrow margin could make that race eligible for a publicly funded recount under Minnesota Statute 204C.36.
If a recount is requested for the council race, it would be scheduled for November 17 at the Anoka County Courthouse. Eligible candidates have until November 16 to officially request a recount. The Daily Mail has reached out to both Robert Nelson and Halyn Roth for comment.