Heads or tails won’t decide a deadlocked Woodland council race, after all.
One or two will.
A flip of a coin with those numbers on opposing sides will determine which 70-year-old political newcomer, Robert Ripp or Scott Perry, becomes the newest Woodland City Council member, officials said. The two men competed to replace outgoing councilman Darwin Rounds, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in summer’s primary.
An automatic recount performed in Cowlitz and Clark counties, where votes were cast in the Woodland race, ended with each man earning 569 votes. State law requires a local election that is still tied after an automatic recount to be decided by a coin flip.
The time and location of the coin flip were yet to be determined as of late Monday afternoon, said Carolyn Myers, Cowlitz County elec
tions supervisor. It could happen at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Cowlitz County Auditor’s Office in Kelso.
It could also happen Wednesday morning at Woodland High School. Woodland School District officials asked that the coin flip be done in front of students to emphasize the importance of voting, Myers said. When asked about this, Woodland Superintendent Michael Green said he had not heard about the request.
A coin flip last decided a Cowlitz election in 2001, Myers said, noting the election was for a fire district commissioner’s seat.
Based on their order on the ballot, Ripp will win if the coin lands on one and Perry will win if the coin lands on two.
The special coin is used so there is no confusion over who called heads or tails, Myers said.
Neither candidate sounded particularly nervous about the coin flip. They laughed off the suggestion that their number could be viewed as a good or bad omen.
“Hopefully the coin is well-balanced and it will be fair,” Perry said.
Ripp sounded even more tranquil.
When asked if the number one was his lucky number, he responded, “It’s a possibility but I have no qualms one way or another. Whatever comes comes. I’m thoroughly surprised it went this far, with as many people voted for us.”
Ripp led Perry 559-550 in Cowlitz County. However, Perry edged Ripp 19-10 in Clark County.
For both men, realizing they might soon be on the Woodland council came with a sobering reality. The winner will be sworn in Dec. 19.
“It’s hit me hard because they’ve got their budget coming up,” Ripp said, noting he has not had time to analyze the budget.
Perry sounded less optimistic about the task at hand.
“I’d just as soon I don’t get on the council until the budget is approved or disapproved,” Perry said, “because that’s not going to be fun for anybody.”
Ray Legendre: 360-735-4517; www.facebook.com/raylegend; www.twitter.com/col_smallcities; ray.legendre@columbian.com
