Norfolk County council seat decided by a draw out of a wedding hat from 1883, after tied vote

After a long campaign, a recount and two weeks of uncertainty, one Norfolk County council seat was left up to fate.

Chris Van Paassen will return as Ward 4 councillor after Norfolk county clerk William Tigert drew his name from a black top hat from 1883 Thursday night, breaking a tie with challenger Jeni Lambert.

Both candidates received exactly 858 votes in the Oct. 26 municipal election. A recount Thursday morning confirmed those numbers were accurate, leaving the county with an unusual problem: two candidates, one council seat and no clear winner.

“I’ve been involved in municipal elections for 35 years and this is the first tie vote that I’ve experienced,” Tigert said.

He says under the Municipal Elections Act, it says if there’s a tie vote after the recount, then the clerk is required to draw the name by lot for the successful candidate.

Top hat used in draw came from county archives

Enter the hat, which was selected by county archivist Joshua Klar. In an email to CBC Hamilton, Klar said it belonged to Samuel Sowden, a farmer and businessman from Woodhouse Township, who wore it at his wedding in February 1883.

He says the hat is believed to have been purchased at a local shop in Simcoe.

“I selected this particular top hat since it was in excellent condition,” he said.

Tigert, the clerk, said the county may add a note to the archives about the hat’s role in this election.

Incumbent said the process was stressful for the community

At 7 p.m., two cards featuring the names of candidates were placed inside the hat. Tigert then drew one name.

“I was only prepared for having Jeni’s name pulled,” Van Paassen said afterward. “I was not prepared for having my name pulled.”

The incumbent said he was relieved to finally have an answer after weeks of uncertainty, but acknowledged that waiting for the result was stressful for the community.

He also credited Lambert for running a strong campaign, saying that the tied vote showed her message resonated.

For Lambert, the result was disappointing, but she said she was proud of the campaign she ran and had no regrets.

“I’m a very community-oriented person and I will continue to be very community-oriented,” she said. “I just won’t have a seat around the official table to do so.”

Candidate would prefer a more democratic way of settling a tie

Lambert said she would like to see the legislation changed to allow for a more democratic way of settling a tied result, such as another head-to-head vote between the candidates.

“Having something as important as this left up to chance, I’m worried is going to push people away even more,” she said.

While the draw has produced a winner, Van Paassen’s return to council isn’t technically official just yet.

The legislation allows 15 days for someone involved in the recount to apply for a judicial recount. If no application is filed, Tigert can officially declare Van Paassen elected on the 16th day after Thursday’s recount.

Tigert said no ballots were contested during the recount.

Every vote matters, both candidates say

Both candidates also used the experience to make a point about voter participation.

Norfolk County reported turnout of 33 per cent in the Oct. 26 election, with 20,162 ballots cast among 61,085 eligible voters.

Lambert said the tie is a reminder that even one additional vote could have changed the outcome.

“When they say every vote matters, this is the perfect example that it really does,” she said.

Jeni Lambert, left, and Chris Van Paassen. The two candidates running to be Norfolk County’s Ward 4 councillor were tied at 858 votes. (Submitted)

Van Paassen, who was first elected in 1994, echoed that message, saying municipal government has a direct impact on residents’ everyday lives.

He hopes to see turnout climb to between 60 and 90 per cent in future municipal elections.

For now, he says he hopes to work with Lambert despite the unusual way the race ended.

“Thank you very much to all the residents of Ward 4 and the support from across Norfolk County,” he said.