Tuesday’s election was supposed to decide who would occupy the vacant seat on the Poplarville’s Board of Aldermen, instead that election ended with an unofficial tie that needed confirmation.

“If it is a tie we will flip a coin, draw straws or something of that nature,” Necaise said Wednesday afternoon. “We wager the voter will bring in the identification.”

Three affidavit ballots were cast during Tuesday’s runoff election but one still needed verification by Wednesday. 

By Wednesday evening Poplarville’s election commissioners validated the remaining vote.

To determine who will occupy that seat will now be decided by a lot, which means the candidates will either draw straws or flip a coin, among other options. The lot was set for Thursday evening at 8:15.

The method of the lot will be determined by the election commissioners and will be held at a public place and time when both candidates are ready.

Of the 1,607 registered voters in the city of Poplarville, only 21 percent showed up to the polls on Tuesday.

During Tuesday’s runoff election David Glenn Bolin and Stephanie Bounds each received 177 votes.

Mayor Brad Necaise said he would not release the name of the candidate the voter with the remaining affidavit ballot voted for.

This runoff election was held after the election on Aug. 26 failed to determine a winner. 

Initially, four candidates faced off for the seat, vacated by former alderman Randy Brown after an Attorney General’s opinion found that his service on the Board of Aldermen was a conflict of interest due to his employment as a law officer with the Biloxi Police Department.

The other two candidates who did not make the runoff were Nicole Brown, and Michael A. O’Quin.