Mayor of eastern Japan city picked by lottery as votes evenly split
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AOMORI – A mayor in an eastern Japanese city was chosen by lottery on Nov 9 after two candidates obtained the same number of votes in a rare election outcome, according to its election board.
Although the internal affairs ministry overseeing elections said it has not compiled data on similar cases, a town mayor in Aomori Prefecture, north-eastern Japan, was also selected by lottery in 2010 after votes were evenly split, the local election committee said.
In the latest case in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture north-east of Tokyo, newcomer and former city council chief Toshiyuki Kiuchi secured the mayoral post by lottery, according to the country’s public offices election law.
It came after he and Mr Susumu Ishida, an incumbent who sought a third term, secured 16,724 votes each.
A total of 33,667 ballots were cast, of which 219 were deemed invalid, with voter turnout hitting 44.2 per cent, a fresh low. The city had 76,130 registered voters. KYODO
