Election 2015: It’s a tie

Jasper’s mayoral race ended in a tie between incumbent Terry Seitz and challenger Wayne Schuetter.

Dead even.

Neck and neck.

1,856 votes for each.

Independent Joshua Budd made a blip with 190 votes; 30 110 more than the signatures required for him to get on the ticket. [Budd needed 80 to get on the ballot; we originally reported he needed 160 signatures.]

Once the results were in, Dubois County Clerk Bridgette Jarboe immediately contacted the state election board to report the results. All the voting machines were then carried into her office and the doors closed to the public.

A while later she reported that her office would certify the election as a tie and according to state law, the results would be turned over to the sitting Jasper Common Council.

They will have until December 31st to decide Jasper’s next mayor.

Both candidates or party chairs can request a recount at their expense. According to Jarboe, the candidates have until November 17 and the chairs have until November 20 assuming she sends the certified results to the council on Wednesday.

If the count turns up different, that count will be final. If the count remains a tie, the seven council members will decide.

If that is the case, it doesn’t bode well for Mayor Seitz. The relationship between some members of the council and the mayor has been tumultuous. A recent press conference called by the mayor brought some of that to the surface.

At the conference, Republican Councilman Kevin Manley and Democratic Councilman Randy Buchta both accused the mayor of using it as a political ploy. The two have been vocally obstinate towards the mayor in recent weeks.

The rest of the council has also surprised the city with some decisions recently. During the council meeting regarding the funding for the Beaver Lake Dam project, the entire council pulled a reversal on the city’s plans to have the Friends of Beaver Lake pay for the work to raise the water level at Beaver Lake.

The Friends had raised about $140,000 of the $385,000 needed for the project. The park and utility service board had also contributed to the project to the tune of about $65,000, leaving about $180,000 that was going to be financed through the electric department. During a meeting in which the council was expected to vote on allocating the money and approving the loan, unexpectedly, they voted unanimously to pay the remaining balance through the city’s gambling fund.

Additionally, the council is split with four Democrats — Earl Schmitt, Greg Schnarr, Tom Schmidt, and Buchta — and three Republicans – Manley, Dave Prechtel, and Ray Howard. It would be surprising if the four Democrats were to cast a vote for Seitz to remain in office. And Manley has indicated he won’t support Seitz.

Four of those seats will be turned over to new council members in January. Schmidt, Prechtel and Howard all declined to run again, and Buchta was defeated today. So, the four new members will have to work with this council’s decision.

Seitz stated he was happy that Dean Vonderheide, Nancy Eckerle and John Bell had won their respective seats, but he declined to comment on his next steps. “It is a rather intriguing place to be,” he said. “I am seeking the advice of Donald Hayes [Dubois County GOP chair] who has already received a contact from the state Republican party. I want to listen to what those ladies and gentlemen say and then go from there.”

Schuetter, meanwhile, joked that one of the children hanging out at the Knights of Columbus — where the Jasper Democratic candidates historically gather — had asked what would happen if there was a tie. “We told her that couldn’t happen,” he laughed.

“She felt a little responsible,” he added.

Schuetter said he didn’t plan on asking for a recount. “I am finding this quite interesting,”

Here are all the totals of tonight’s municipal elections.

Jasper Mayor
Schuetter (D) – 1,856 47.57%
Seitz (R) – 1,856 47.57%
Budd (I)- 190 4.87%