The Southeast Stark County Village of Magnolia may be a model for civil political discourse.
After the November mayoral election the two candidates were tied. The decision came down to a coin toss this week.
Travis Boyd became mayor-elect as the coin landed heads-side-up.
(Credit: Travis M. Boyd, facebook.com)
His opponent, Grant Downes flipped the coin and said he would have chosen tails anyway. Nobody ran to fill Downes’ seat on Magnolia Council and he’s hoping to be reappointed. Boyd assured Downes he wants him to remain on council.
He said the election is indicative of the village as a whole.
"You know, you look at how divisive this country is on just about any politics, any race, any issue really. You come down to those in Magnolia and we’re separated by the side of a coin," Boyd said, "I think that says a lot about our town."
That same 1923 silver dollar used this week broke the tie when current mayor Robert Leach won his contest in 1979. In his 10 terms as Mayor, Leach ran unopposed nine times.
Boyd will be the Villages’ first new mayor in Forty years.