No coin flip: Voters will decide in special election

~ Two Meadow Heights school board candidates were tied in school board race, but one of them declined leaving the decision to chance.

PATTON, Mo. -- Even his brother didn't vote for him. But Terry Wagner wasn't surprised.

A lot of his family didn't bother to vote in Tuesday's election. "They thought it would be a blow out," said Wagner, who was seeking re-election to the Meadow Heights school board.

Wagner thought he would win easily. "I didn't campaign or nothing," he said Wednesday.

Wagner ended up deadlocked in Tuesday's election with challenger Stephen Garland for the second and final seat on the Meadow Heights school board.

School superintendent Victor Martin had hoped to flip a coin to decide the winner as allowed by state law. He said that would save the district the expense of another election.

But now it appears the winner won't be decided by chance.

That's because the superintendent can't resolve the tie vote with a coin flip unless both candidates agree to it.

Following the election Tuesday, school board member Dan Tallent suggested the board could simply fill the seat by appointment.

But both state education officials and the superintendent said state law doesn't allow it.

The law seems quite plain in spelling out the two options," said Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokesman Jim Morris.

Superintendent Martin said the school board has no choice but to hold a special election if at least one of the two candidates demands it.

"The choice is totally with the candidates," he said.

Martin said Garland's wife agreed Wednesday morning to the proposed coin flip. Garland couldn't be reached for comment.

But Wagner said Wednesday afternoon he wouldn't leave his re-election to chance.

"I would rather the people decide than flipping quarters or something," said Wagner who is completing a three-year term on the board.

No date has been set for the election. But this time Wagner figures his relatives will get out and vote.

In the election Tuesday, Wagner and Garland each received 103 votes. Bob Wilson was re-elected with 124 votes. Two other candidates finished behind Wagner and Garland.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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