Goodridge, Minn., mayor's race decided by coin toss

The Goodridge, Minn., mayor's race was won by a coin toss Wednesday night.

Incumbent Bob Homme and Dave Brown, the former mayor who Homme replaced seven years ago, both got 22 votes. In lieu of going into the county vault, finding the ballots and recounting the 44 votes, they agreed to decide the winner with a coin toss.

It was already a strange race in Goodridge, population 98, with no one in town having filed to run for mayor. Brown and Homme were both write-ins.

Homme, who's 60, said he was hoping someone young, say in their 30s or 40s, would step up to the plate. "The world is changing so fast now," he said. "We need to get some new blood in there."

But the young people didn't seize the day. Instead, Homme heard that someone had asked Brown about the race and Brown had told them he'd accept the job if voters wrote his name on the ballot.

Asked how old Brown is, Homme said he only knew that Brown is older than him.

Then some people asked Homme if he was running and he said he'd agree to be mayor again if voters wrote his name on the ballot.

We don't know how badly Brown wanted his old job back because he wasn't home when we called.

But Shannon Moen, the city clerk, said two of Brown's buddies put up some signs. "It kind of got heated toward the end."

Cut to the chase: After the tie Election Day, the canvassing board had to decide how to select the winner. Homme and Brown had both talked to the League of Minnesota Cities and heard that a coin toss or a drawing of cards is the traditional way to break a tie.

They chose the coin toss. Each would toss his own coin. If it was even, meaning two heads or two tails, Brown would win. If it was odd, meaning a head and a tail, Homme would win.

It was even.

The Goodridge mayor's term is only two years.

Homme said there are some young folks on the City Council and maybe they'll want to run in 2010.