Challenger Garland wins tie-breaker election for Meadow Heights board

PATTON, Mo. -- Stephen Garland won a special election for a seat on the Meadow Heights Board of Education Tuesday, defeating incumbent Terry Wagner.

Garland won with 337 votes to 72 votes for Wagner, school superintendent Victor Martin said.

The two men deadlocked in the April regular election, each receiving 103 votes.

Wagner said after that election that he didn't campaign for re-election because he thought he would win easily.

The deadlock could have been resolved without a special election, Martin said. State law allows a tie to be decided by the superintendent with a flip of a coin, but only if both candidates agree to it.

Wagner insisted on a special election.