Spring Lake Park mayor wins election with luck of the draw

Incumbent Robert Nelson won Monday evening’s unusual election tiebreaker, keeping his seat after a drawing of names from a film canister at Spring Lake Park City Hall. Nelson and challenger Halyn Roth each received exactly 1,401 votes in the Nov. 3 election. Another 13 votes were cast for write-in candidates, leaving the race deadlocked. Rather than flip a coin, city officials followed Minnesota law, which requires tied municipal elections to be decided by lot . The candidates’ names were placed in identical canisters, put into a bag and one was drawn to determine the winner. “Got a rabbit in there?” someone in the crowd joked during Monday’s drawing. Advertisement “I’m a city administrator, not a magician,” City Administrator and Clerk-Treasurer Daniel Buchholtz replied as he held the bag for Council Member and Acting Mayor Barbara Goodboe-Bisschoff to choose the city’s next mayor. Spring Lake Park is a suburb about 10 miles north of Minneapolis. Nelson’s campaign focused on public safety and keeping property taxes low among other goals, according to a biography provided to North Metro TV. Monday’s drawing may not be the final word. Candidates have until Nov. 16 to request a recount, and Roth previously told Kare11 he would request one if he lost the drawing.