Tied race certified by clerk

Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Jinsie Bingham and Eric Birt

A week has passed since elections were held in Greencastle, but the race that was tied between two candidates for city council has yet to be settled.

Democratic candidate Jinsie Bingham and Republican hopeful Eric Birt told the BannerGraphic they don't plan to request a recount of the votes that saw each of them with 190 votes.

Birt said he trusts the voting process in Putnam County and believes the votes were properly counted.

Although admittedly anxious since the election was held, Bingham said she is willing to wait to see how it turns out.

Putnam County Clerk Marty Watts told the BannerGraphic Tuesday that the results of the election have officially been certified and that the Birt-Bingham race still stands at a tie.

She said that if the date of Nov. 20 passes and neither candidate requests a recount, then it will be up to members of the current city council to cast the deciding votes.

Watts said the majority vote will decide whether it is Birt or Bingham who wins the seat. The current city council is composed of Democrats John Lanie, Tom Roach, Bob Sed-lack and Russ Evans, and Re­publican Mark Hammer.

Watts too said she is confident in the results that were certified. All provisional ballots have come in and the voting equipment is believed to have been working properly on election day, she said.

"Everything matched up really well," Watts said.

Indiana election code gives the city council until Dec. 31 to vote, Watts said.

The Greencastle City Council indicated at its Tuesday evening session that a vote will be taken to decide the tie at its December meeting. That open session is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 in city hall.

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