For two Hailey City Council candidates, the Nov. 6 city election has led to another month of nervous anticipation rather than resolution.
Fritz Haemmerle and Stefanie Marvel, two of the three candidates running for City Council Seat No. 4, will face off in a runoff election on Tuesday, Dec. 4, due to the lack of a majority result on Tuesday.
With 1,262 ballots cast, a majority was required for one candidate to take the election. Haemmerle ended up with 614 votes, 18 shy of the 632 votes required to take the council seat that will be vacated by City Council President Rick Davis in January when he takes over as mayor. Marvel remained in the hunt by taking second with 494 votes. The third council candidate, Geoff Moore, who received 154 votes, is out of the running.
Hailey City Clerk Heather Dawson said that only the top two partake in the runoff election. Dawson said the election will be decided by a simple majority.
"To have three very viable candidates who are all above board, it would be almost impossible to have a majority," Haemmerle said. "Still, I was very pleased with the results, but obviously would have liked those extra 18 votes. I don't relish the thought of having to campaign for another 30 days."
Marvel's husband, Jon Marvel, said in an interview Wednesday that his wife was disappointed that she didn't win on Tuesday, but that she's excited to have another opportunity.
Both Marvel and Haemmerle said they anticipated a lower voter turnout for the runoff, which could mean very unpredictable results.
"I'm going to keep myself out there talking to people and try to get people back to the polls," Haemmerle said of his plans for the weeks leading up to the election. "I think that a lower voter turnout would really hurt both of us."
Jon Marvel said that Stefanie will be talking with her campaign manager, Becki Keefer, on potential strategies, but that at the moment no decisions had been made on ways to increase her votes for the next election.
Stefanie Marvel
Fritz Haemmerle
