Victoria County councillor declared elected after returning officer draws name from box

Wanda Hennick has been declared elected as a councillor in northern Cape Breton after her name was drawn from a box in Sydney provincial court on Friday.

Hennick and her cousin, Amy MacKinnon, were tied with the most votes in District 8 after last month's municipal elections in Victoria County.

Under Nova Scotia's Municipal Elections Act, the councillor is chosen by lot if a judicial recount confirms the tie.

Judge Dan MacRury oversaw the recount, which consisted of checking a laptop computer to generate the electronic results. Paper ballots were not used in the county.

After that, the two names were written on equal-sized pieces of paper, folded up and put in a box. Returning officer Blair Gallop then shook the box and drew out Hennick's name.

Voters' faith in democracy shaken

Outside the courtroom after the draw, Hennick said changing the law and restoring voters' faith in democracy will be one of her first priorities.

"Well, hopefully to change this act, for one, to have some other kind of process," she said. "People in District 8 [were] really, really upset over how it was being pulled from a hat. They really wanted a byelection."

Hennick said her next priority is to seek more financial help for volunteer fire departments, museums and community halls.

MacKinnon congratulated her cousin after the draw, but did not stick around to talk to reporters.

Hennick and MacKinnon each got 145 votes in the northern Cape Breton district, which includes Dingwall, Aspy Bay and Bay St. Lawrence.

Patterson Gray-Rochon, who listened in on the court recount by phone, got 85 ballots and Ricky Buchanan, who was not available, picked up 36.

Hennick said Buchanan is also a cousin, but they were all friendly during the election.

Even after the tie, Hennick and MacKinnon continued to speak regularly, not taking the election too seriously.

"I used to pick on her, 'Well, if you get in, I'm going to make you accountable,' and she says, 'Well, if you get in, I'm going to make you accountable,' so it's all in fun," Hennick said.

"It's family and we just want to look out for what's best for District 8."

Hennick is expected to join the rest of council and be sworn in next week at a special meeting during a provincial conference in Halifax, where Victoria County councillors are expected to vote on a new warden.

Victoria County chief administrative officer Leanne MacEachen said choosing a councillor by drawing a name was new to her, but it is in the provincial legislation.

MacEachen said councillors will decide when the first regular meeting of council will be after next week's special meetings.