Wachapreague election decided in Tuesday afternoon tiebreaker

The Wachapreague Town Council Election was decided by a somewhat confusing tie breaking draw on Tuesday afternoon.

The Town Council election ended with three candidates tied with the same number votes for two open seats. Dan Motto, Aileen Joeckel and John Joeckel all finished with 19 votes.

Motto, who successfully filed and was on the ballot, dropped out of the election after the early voting period began. He is reportedly not in the country at the current time.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections “The fact that the candidate withdrew has no bearing on the votes cast for that candidate – those still count just as they would if someone were a write-in candidate who received votes and refused to take the seat. So, we had a three-way tie for 5th and 6th. In this case we put all 3 names into a tiebreaker for seat #5. Whichever 1 person wins that tiebreaker is duly elected to that seat. We then put the remaining 2 people into a tiebreaker for seat #6. Whoever wins that tiebreaker is duly elected to the seat. If the person who withdrew wins either tiebreaker, a vacancy is created because the person has already refused to serve. Vacancy procedures for appointment/special election would kick in.  The seat does not go to the 7th highest (or whichever) person.”

Such an event occurred Tuesday afternoon. Motto was the first name drawn from the hat according to Accomack County Registrar Angel Shrieves. Aileen Joeckel was the second.

Motto’s seat will go to vacancy because he officially withdrew.  The town will have to follow their town charter and follow vacancy procedures for appointment/special election.

.