Coin toss breaks tie in town commissioner race

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Heads or tails.

That’s what decided a race for commissioner in the Bladen County town of Clarkton today.

A canvass of the votes in the race between Lawrence McDougald and Jimmy Hudson, Jr., found it was still tied 25-25. Under state law, that means the winner must be picked “by lot.”

Bladen County Elections Director Cynthia Shaw says the Board of Elections chairman flipped a coin, with Hudson represented by heads and McDougald by tails. When the reverse face of the coin landed up, it meant McDougald had kept his seat.