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Committee OKs alternative game‑of‑chance method for resolving multi‑way elected‑office ties
Summary
House Bill 315 lets a municipal legislative body adopt an equal‑odds game of chance (declared in advance) to resolve an elected‑official tie involving more than two candidates. The committee favorably recommended the measure unanimously.
The Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Standing Committee voted unanimously to favorably recommend House Bill 315, which modifies the statutory tie‑breaking procedure for elected‑official vacancies.
Representative Stoddard, the sponsor, said the bill responds to a December mayoral vacancy in his city that produced a three‑way tie and required multiple coin flips to resolve. The new language allows the legislative body of a municipality, when faced with a tie among more than two candidates, to choose a game of chance in advance provided every participant has an equal probability of winning.
Senators asked whether local bodies could pick unusual games; the sponsor said the outcome must be determined by chance and every participant must have equal odds. No public commenters testified on this bill. Senator Blum moved to favorably recommend HB315 and the committee carried the motion by unanimous voice vote.
The bill advances with a favorable recommendation to the full Senate.
