(Dec. 8, 2016) The Pocomoke City Council unanimously approved on second reading amendments to the town charter altering language related to the conduct of elections at its meeting on Monday.
During it’s meeting on Nov. 21, the council approved on first reading the following changes to election procedures: requiring future elections to use paper ballots, restricting citizens from organizing write-in candidates for public office, adding two alternate positions on the board of elections and revising provisions to address tie votes and election certification.
The last change was made in response to the recent contested election between council incumbent George Tasker and Sheila Nelson, when a “mechanical error” with voting machines caused 127 votes to counted, while election records showed 132 people cast ballots. That eventually lead to another election being held at the end of May with Tasker garnering 98 votes to Nelson’s 91.
Under the new regulations, settling a tie vote will involve luck of the draw.
 “We get a brand new deck of cards that has never been opened, shuffle them and then it’s select a card,” said Mayor Bruce Morrison.
Councilmember George Tasker said this year Maryland passed a law requiring each jurisdiction to have a tie-breaking procedure in place.
“Coin tosses or card draws are used across the country in thousands of jurisdictions,” he said.