If you thought the result of the Iowa Caucuses was close, that was nothing compared to the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce's 2012 board of directors elections.
All 11 candidates running for the board of directors have been declared elected after deadlock resulted in the tabulations for the 10th and final spot on the board.
The elections for the 10 spots on the board took place by mail-in ballots sent in by Dec. 31.
However, following counting of votes during the first week of January, a tie resulted among the candidates seeking the 10th spot.
The Chamber could have drawn lots and picked a name out of a hat to determine the winner, as per the Chambers' bylaws. Instead, the Chamber nominations committee determined they will recommend to the board that all 11 candidates be allowed to serve for this board term.
This is according to another portion of their bylaws where the board can, by a majority vote, approve adding additional members to serve on the board, according to Executive Director Linda Machniak.
"What they've done is they are making a recommendation to the board to actually accept all eleven candidates," said Machniak.
The 11 candidates elected to two-year terms are the following:
Rory Anderson (Norsask Farm Equipment), Brendon Boothman (individual member), Jay Bottomley (Oil Can Charlie's), Michelle Cheyne (Cheyne's Plumbing and Heating), Darla Conley (SaskTel), Ed Lee (M and M Meat Shops), Leah Milton (Northwest Professional Services - BTC), Ryan Moe (G & C Asphalt), Sharon Mohagen (Blue Rentals), Marcela Torres (Cleaning Call Housekeeping Services) and Warren Williams (Bralin Technology Solutions).
Of the 11, five are incumbents, with Anderson, Boothman, Lee, Milton and Mohagen all re-elected.
It is expected the recommendation to accept all 11 candidates as directors for 2012 will be rubber-stamped by the board at the next regular Chamber board meeting Jan. 24. Machniak said the board has already been canvassed and there is majority support for the nomination committee's recommendation, she said.
It is not known which candidates were involved in the tie result. As is their tradition, the Chamber did not reveal vote totals in announcing the results Jan. 6.
The newly-elected Chamber directors will be presented at the annual general meeting, which takes place immediately after the Chamber's regular board meeting Jan. 24.
