RTM Recount Shows Tie: District 4 Members to Decide

Update 2:27 p.m.:

The 15 elected members of the Representative Town Meeting from District 4 will decide who the 16th member will be after two candidates were tied in Tuesday's election.

The district's RTM members must post a notice 10 days before a meeting in which they'll vote to pick one of the two tied candidates, said RTM Moderator Sarah Seelye citing Appendix B of the town Code of Ordinances.

Werner K. Domittner and Joseph H. Hardison III each received 363 votes, tied for last place among the 11 candidates for the 10 seats in the district in the election Tuesday. Another six RTM members from the district were not up for election this year.

Three times, the Darien Registrars of Voters recounted the votes starting Thursday morning in the Darien Town Hall Auditorium, and three times they came up with the exact same result: 363 votes for each candidate.

The RTM is a nonpartisan body -- elections are not based on nominations from any political party.

The winner of the 10th seat up for election from District 4 won't be chosen in time for the Nov. 12 session of the RTM, but should be installed by the next meeting, Seelye said. Until then, the seat will be considered vacant, she said.

Original article 12:52 p.m.:

The Darien Registrars of Voters Office is conducting a recount after two Representative Town Meeting candidates in District 4 came in tied.

Werner K. Domittner and Joseph H. Hardison III each received 363 votes, tied for last place among the 11 candidates for the 10 seats in the district at the southern end of town, near Hindley School, which is the district polling place.

The recount is expected to be finished this afternoon.