Jennifer Lagner wins Atlantic Beach city commission seat after coin toss breaks tie

Jennifer Lagner is Atlantic Beach’s newest city commissioner, and the race was decided by a coin toss Friday. The coin flipped Lagner’s way outside the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office on the Northside, and she won 2-0.

Lagner and Lisa Herrold had been tied with 3,162 votes each.

“This shows how great and free our country is,” Lagner said.

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“Jen and I have been a part of this community for years... It was meant to be... We’re going to look back at this and realize how unbelievable this was,” said Herrold, a former candidate.

Before the toss, Action News Jax asked Lagner if she knew whether she would pick heads or tails. She said she was worried about her Diet Coke and just said whatever happens, happens.

The coin flip was only going to decide the race Friday night if no new uncounted overseas ballots came in. Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland gave Action News Jax an inside look at what to expect if the race was still tied. The rules are best two out of three, and the coin must land in the middle to count.

“We’ll randomly select who’s going to go first, and that person has the decision whether to call it first or the second toss,” Holland said.

Each candidate gets a chance to call the first two tosses. If they are still tied after that, a county judge randomly selects who calls the third toss.

Holland says it is extremely rare for a race to get to this point.

“It hasn’t happened in about 14 years, and never before. So this would be our second tied election in Duval County. Ever? Ever,” Holland said.

In 2014, the Neptune Beach City Council race between Rory Diamond and Richard Arthur was decided with 20 ping pong balls. Arthur picked a ball with a higher number than Diamond and won.

“It’s remarkable, really, when you really, the meaning of that is every vote matters, you know, and one vote can make a difference,” Holland said.

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