Montreal Suburb to Pick City Councillor by Lucky Draw After Election Tie

Talk about luck deciding politics — a Montreal-area election is coming down to a coin flip.

In Montréal-Est, two candidates, Audrey Bordeleau and Julie Larivée, ended up in a dead tie during the Nov. 2 municipal election. Both snagged 81 votes each, out of just 517 registered voters in the district. After a judicial recount confirmed the tie — and tossed out 10 rejected ballots — the town’s next councillor will literally be chosen by drawing lots.

Under provincial law, when votes are tied, the winner is determined by lottery. The big moment will happen at city hall, open for the public to watch as chance decides who gets the seat.

The race was one of several nail-biters across the Montreal area this year, with at least three contests decided by fewer than a dozen votes. Clearly, every single ballot counted — and then some.

This rare twist gives new meaning to “may the best candidate win” — or maybe, “may luck be on your side.”