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Ward One election resolved by lot; council administers oaths to newly elected members
Summary
After a tied Ward One result certified by the Election Authority, the St. Charles City Council followed City Charter Section 9.4.c and determined the winner by lot in a public drawing; Chris Kyle was declared the winner and then sworn in along with other newly elected councilmembers.
Council President Michael Galba opened the April 21 meeting by explaining the canvass process and the charter provisions governing ties, citing Section 9.4.b and 9.4.c of the City Charter as the legal basis for actions the council would take that evening. "The certified election results were received from the Election Authority by the City Clerk on April 14, 2026... Section 9.4.c of the City Charter provides clear direction for resolving this tie," Galba said, describing the public drawing procedure to be used.
Councilmember Bill Otto urged the council to pause certification and allow a hand count of the Ward One returns before declaring a winner, saying a hand count could avoid later complications if it changed the outcome. "We should not certify the Ward One election results if a hand-count is available... The voters in Ward One deserve a complete count," Otto said.
A motion by Mark Hollander to receive and approve certification of the April 7, 2026 election results for Wards 2–5 was seconded by Vince Ratchford and approved in a roll-call vote with eight ayes and one nay (Otto). The record shows the council then followed the charter-prescribed procedure for a tie in Ward One: City Clerk Kimberly Hudson displayed two identical slips with the candidates' names, placed them into an opaque container, and drew one name in public. Ms. Hudson announced "Chris Kyle" as the name drawn; the council recessed briefly and then reconvened to administer oaths of office.
City Clerk Kimberly Hudson administered the oath to Chris Kyle (Ward 1, term ending April 2029) and to the other newly elected members whose terms were noted in the record. City Attorney Holly Magdziarz clarified procedural questions earlier in the meeting, including the effect of a motion that receives no second.
The council's action resolved the certified tie by the method set out in the charter; the record shows the drawing and the subsequent oath administration occurred in open session that evening. The council did not adopt any additional changes to the certification once the drawing was complete.
