After months of campaigning, the District 1 Cook County Commissioner race came down to a decision by chance. Auditor Braidy Powers had candidates Frank Moe and Kristin DeArruda Wharton draw a colored block from a cloth bag. Whoever drew the red block was to be declared the winner. The candidates clasped the block in their palm and were asked to open their hands at the same time. Frank Moe has the red block in his hand, winning the Commissioner District 1 seat.
Election 2014 did not come to a close for the voters in Cook County Commissioner District 1 until Monday, November 10. On election evening the two candidates—Kristen DeArruda Wharton and Frank Moe—were tied with 246 votes each. Cook County Auditor Braidy Powers had to do some research to determine how to break the tie, but on Monday, Powers convened the Cook County Election Canvass Board to certify election results and oversee a “decision by lot.”
At 9:10 a.m. on November 10, the Election Canvass Board— Court Administrator Kim Shepard, former Court Clerk Elaine Rabold, Grand Marais City Administrator Mike Roth and County Commissioner Garry Gamble—met in the Cook County Commissioner’s Room at the Cook County courthouse. Once the election results were certified and the tie in the District 1 race confirmed, Auditor Powers, under supervision of the Canvass Board, made a decision by lot.
In front of about 15 observers, Powers called the candidates— DeArruda Wharton and Moe—forward. He explained the “device” to determine the winner. He had a cloth bag. Into the bag he placed two blocks—one red; one blue. Powers said whoever draws the red block would be the winner. He then had the candidates put their hand in the bag, clasp a block in his or her hand and wait until both had drawn. Powers asked them to open their hands and Moe had the red block—he had won the decision by lot.
Because the election was a tie, either of the candidates could request a recount, to be paid for by the county. DeArruda Wharton asked for a recount, which got under way at 11 a.m.
The recount, conducted by Chief Deputy Auditor Aimee Luick and Deputy Auditor Courtnee Bernier, went quickly with no questionable ballots and the results remained the same. Since Frank Moe had won the tiebreaker, he is now the commissioner for County Commissioner District 1.
Reached the next day, Frank Moe quipped, “You can’t make this stuff up, drawing a red cube out of a bag to win an election! Well, I guess Braidy did kind of make it up.”
Turning serious, Moe said, “I’m glad I didn’t know how hard this election was going to be when I registered as a candidate. Kristin worked very hard and has a lot of supporters—the same number as I do. My job will be to represent them all as best as I can.
“You learn a lot about your community by going to everyone’s door. I like where I live even more now. Thanks to everyone who let me into your homes.
“I look forward to working with the new county board. I’ve already begun setting up meetings with all of them,” said Moe.
Reached two days after the “decision by lot” had been conducted, the New Herald contacted DeArruda Wharton who said, “I’m disappointed that it came down to a drawing to chose the commissioner, I think everyone is. But more important to me than winning was maintaining my integrity, serving this amazing community, and speaking for the hardworking people who sacrifice and struggle to live here.
“I’m honored to have received the support of half of the voters and I will continue to serve in other ways in our community,” she said.
No recount requested for District 5
The race was also extremely close in Commissioner District 5 with challenger Ginny Storlie of Lutsen defeating incumbent Bruce Martinson of Schroeder by just five votes. When the News-Herald contacted Commissioner Martinson on November 5 and asked if he would request a recount because the count was so close, Martinson said he hadn’t decided.
Martinson attended the District 1 recount and afterwards made the following statement, “In consideration of the recount completed today for the District I Commissioner race with no change in the voter counts, I will not be requesting a recount in my race. I feel confident the vote tally machine properly accounted for each vote in our race. Our election system is one of the fairest and best in the world.
“I desire to support Ginny Storlie as the new District 1 Cook County Commissioner,” said Martinson.
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