Coin toss settles mayoral race

CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – Their fate literally hung on the toss of a coin.

A mayoral candidate in San Teodoro town in Oriental Mindoro was proclaimed winner after election officials settled the electoral race with a coin toss.

Marvic Feraren of the Liberal Party and Boyet Py of the Nacionalista Party both garnered 3,236 votes.

To break the tie, they agreed to toss a coin before local Commission on Election (Comelec) officials.

In the best of three tosses, Feraren was declared the new mayor after winning two out of three tries.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brilantes Jr. confirmed that a coin toss or drawing lots could be done to break an electoral tie.

“It is allowed in the law. Toss coin or draw lots or anything by chance – even by using sticks, the longest sticks,” Brillantes told The STAR.

He was referring to Section 240 of the Omnibus Election Code, which states that in cases of ties for the highest number of votes, or in cases where two or more candidates are to be elected for the same position, drawing of lots could be done. –  With Sheila Crisostomo