Jun 6, 2013 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – The casting of lots to break a tie for a Democratic nomination for school director in Southeastern Greene School District has knocked longtime incumbent and current board president Leonard Novak off the ballot for the fall general election.

The casting of lots was held Thursday in the Greene County Elections and Voter Registration Office to break the tie between Novak and another incumbent, Sam Cossick, and settle who received the fourth spot on the Democratic ballot in the May 21 primary.

Four seats are up for election and five candidates had run in the primary. All had cross-filed.

Novak, who has served on the board since about 2002, lost on the Republican ballot and tied with Cossick for the fourth spot on the Democratic ballot, each receiving 358 votes.

Cossick’s win on the tie breaker will eliminate any race for school director in Southeastern Greene in the fall. The four candidates will be Gary P. Moser, Janet A. Pennington, Shirley Howard and Cossick.

In another matter related to the election, the Greene County commissioners, who also served as the county’s board of elections, officially certified election results Thursday. The results remain unchanged from those released following the tally of write-in votes, said Tina Kiger, director of the elections office.

The office received no requests for a recount or a recanvassing of the results.