A coin flip determined the next mayor of Monroe, North Carolina, on Friday, after two candidates garnered the same number of votes, the Associated Press reported.
Robert Burns and Bob Yanacsek tied with 970 votes each in the Nov. 7 election. Burns emerged victorious in the coin toss, which was held during a Union County elections board meeting, according to the AP.
Both candidates, among five on the ballot, waived their right to a recount, adhering to state law that mandates tied races be decided by lot. At the decisive moment, Yanacsek called heads, but the coin landed tails, leading to celebrations among Burns’ supporters. The two candidates shared a handshake and a brief hug before Burns was officially declared the winner by the board, per the AP.
Breaking: After a coin flip, @RobertBurns82 is the new mayor of Monroe. Bob Yanacsek called heads. It landed on tails. @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/xBwQlIMQSS
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) November 17, 2023
“It’s been an awesome run so far, and now it’s all in God’s hands,” Burns said in a social media video posted minutes before the coin toss.
Yanacsek, a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, addressed his supporters in a post-vote video, encouraging them not to be disheartened. (RELATED: Black Man Claims He Won Mayoral Election But Can’t Take Office Due To Racism)
“We didn’t lose the election. We lost a coin toss,” he said.
Monroe, located about 25 miles southeast of Charlotte, is home to approximately 35,000 residents, the AP noted.