After all of the votes were counted Tuesday night, including the electronic ballots and the paper ballots, the Salina City Commission race was officially too close to call.
There is no doubt that Karl Ryan and Dr. Trent Davis finished first and second in the race. Ryan finished with 3,518 votes while Davis had 3,468 votes. Each won a 4 year term on the commission.
What is in doubt, is who will finish third and win a two year term. Randall Hardy leads Joe Hay by just two votes, 2,135 to 2,133. Salina Mayor Aaron Householter trails both by over 400 votes, and has been eliminated.
Saline County Clerk Don Merriman told KSAL News that there are between 25 and 50 provisional ballots that still need to be counted, which will determine who finishes third, and gets a seat on the city commission. If it ends in a tie, a coin flip would determine the winner.
The provisional ballots will be counted Monday morning. Merriman adds that this is the closest election he has ever been involved with.
In the Salina USD 305 School Board race, Ann Zimmerman, Carol Brandert, Nedra Elbl, and Phil Black all won seats.
Overall voter turnout was about 18 percent.
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Saline County Election Results:
Salina City Commission: (top 3 win commission seats)
Karl Ryan 3,518
Trent Davis 3,468
Randall Hardy 2,135
Joe Hay Jr. 2,133
Aaron Householter 1,702
John Bowman 535
Stephen Swenson 427
Salina USD 305 School Board: (top 4 win board seats)
Ann Zimmerman 3,371
Carol Brandert 3,290
Nedra Elbl 2,623
Phil Black 2,198
Ramona Newsom 1,423
Brendan Burke 1,408
Ann Marie Morris 1,406
Dawn Marie Booher 680
USD 306 #1
Kenny Costigan 326
Linda Sauer 220
USD 306 #2
Dwight D Conley 324
Ryan Commerford 248
USD 306 #3
Brandon D Hughes 337
Jerry R Seim 232
USD 306 At Large
Justin Knopf 510
USD 307 #1
John Fouard 120
USD 307 #2
Jeff Parker 108
USD 307 #3
Cheryl Higgins 105
USD 307 At Large
Michelle Cooper 61
Staton D Diehl 64