Kate Kennedy ended up tied for a position on Grey District Council, so the decision was made by drawing a name 'from the hat'. If there is a dead heat in the vote count, laws for local elections allow the winner to be decided by the luck of the draw. (File photo) Photo: 123rf
A new Grey District councillor is delighted to have won her seat after her name was drawn from an office stationery basket yesterday.
Northern ward candidates Kate Kennedy and James Rogatski were only three votes apart after the preliminary results were announced.
They ended up tied on 199 votes each after special votes were counted - in which case the law allows the winner to be decided by the luck of the draw.
Kennedy said the draw took place in the council chief executive's office, and she and Rogatski wrote their names on the back of business cards.
Grey District councillor Kate Kennedy Photo: Kate Kennedy
"I was hoping for a literal hat, I did offer my arm for an arm wrestle but James said that that wouldn't be very fair, him being far stronger than me," she laughed.
"So that was kind of him."
Kennedy said she felt for Rogatski for not making it through after such a strange end to the election.
"He's a great guy, and all three of us candidates in this electorate had a lot to offer.
"We ran a really collaborative campaign and supported each other, and it was very interesting how the votes were so close."
Kennedy will attend her first council meeting on Thursday.