3 municipal election recounts settled

Two municipal council races were decided on Tuesday by drawing names out of a hat after their recounts confirmed a tie vote, while a third was settled Wednesday by the recount.

Council races in Bertrand, Cambridge Narrows and Saint-Louis-de-Kent were deadlocked on May 14.

That triggered automatic recounts to determine the winner between Huguette Thriault and Jean-Yves Thriault in Bertrand, Wendy Aune and Nancy McConnachie in Cambridge Narrows, and Carmen Daigle and Roland Gallant in Saint-Louis-de-Kent.

Elections New Brunswick said the recounts in Bertrand and Cambridge Narrows confirmed the tie. So, the two candidates agreed to have the winners name drawn from a hat, which is an option detailed in the Elections Act.

Huguette Thriault and McConnachie ended up winning in those races.

In Saint-Louis-de-Kent, the recount showed Gallant with 219 votes and Daigle with 218.

Daigle has accepted the result as final, according to Elections New Brunswick spokesman Paul Harpelle.

Meanwhile, the agency is still counting ballots in the Miramichi recount.

Former Progressive Conservative MLA Michael (Tanker) Malley lost his seat on council by council by three votes.

The result thereis expected to be knownon Thursday.

Recounts were completed for Millville, Centerville, Bath, Le Goulet and Gagetown Wednesday with no change, said Harpelle.

The candidate in Stanley withdrew their request for a recount, he said.

But mayoral candidates in Saint Andre and Plaster Rock applied Wednesday for a recount, as did a councillor candidate in St. Andrews, said Harpelle.

That brings the total number of requested recounts to 18 since the May 14 election.

Candidates who come within 25 votes have the option of filing for an official recount.

Theyhave until Thursday to request an official recount.