What, the state lottery didn't want any of this?????

Rock Island mayoral race a tie, judge says

by Dustin Lemmon [QC Times, available online]

After two months of legal challenges, a recount and debates over which votes should count, Circuit Judge Mark VandeWiele has ruled that the Rock Island mayoral race ended in a tie.

At 8:30 a.m. July 15 the candidates and their attorneys will meet before the judge. Their names will be placed on sheets of paper, placed in identical envelopes, randomly mixed and then Rock Island County Clerk Richard Leibovitz will draw the winner, the judge ordered.

VandeWiele ruled that the final count was a tie with each candidate receiving 3,047 votes. Dennis Pauley, who defeated David Levin in the April 7 election with a count of 3,066 to 3,053, was seated as mayor in early May.

After taking a week to review the evidence from a court ordered recount that was completed last month, VandeWiele ruled that the ballots that weren't initialed by an election judge did not count. The recount also found a ballot that was mistakenly counted three times for Pauley only counted once.

With the numbers adjusted the election came down to two over votes. Voters on both had filled in the circles for both Pauley and Levin.

VandeWiele ruled that one with an "X" through the vote for Pauley was a "clear indication" that the voter intended to choose Levin.

The second ballot, which had a plus-like mark outside the vote for Pauley, did not count, the judge ruled. VandeWiele said a preponderance of the evidence, based on markings elsewhere on the ballot, showed that the voter likely intended to vote for Levin, but the statute calls for a "clearly ascertainable vote" and he could not make that finding.

Judge Mark VandeWiele ruled today that the Rock Island mayoral race ended in a tie and the winner will now be decided by drawing lots at a hearing at 8:30 a.m. July 15.

VandeWiele ruled that the final count was a tie with each candidate receiving 3,047 votes.

David Levin is challenging newly sworn Mayor Dennis Pauley.

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Democracy, here we come! No its not the newest scratch game offered by Little Lotto. It isn't a tribal vote at the end of Survivor: Rock Island Mayoral Edition. It is, in fact, the way we get to install a new mayor, by the mandate of the masses! It if wasn't Al Gore trying to remake history, it was Al Franken. Unfortunately this character is not named Al. He is instead, by the luck of the draw, [pun intended], a 50/50 shot at becoming elected,errrr judicially installed, errrrr coin flipped into office on July 15th. Hello Quad Cities!!!!! What, match the white balls then a power ball to name a city council seat or two? Why not just have a bingo death match, no postage stamps.

S.